the effect of topical application of honey on the burn of full-thickness skin in rats

introduction: the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of topical application of honey on the burn of full-thickness skin in rats. materials and methods: 40 adult female rats were divided into two groups and each group was subdivided into control and two experimental subgroups. the experiments were carried out under nitrofurazone anaesthesia. a third degree burn was carried out in the experimental subgroups using boiling water on the dorsum of the rats. the day of burning was considered as day zero. the control subgroup did not receive any treatment. the first experimental subgroup received topical dressing of honey once per day. the second experimental subgroup received topical dressing of nitrofurazone cream once per day. the durations of the study of the first and second groups were 15 and 30 days respectively. the rats were sacrified by ether and the wounds as well as adjacent normal tissues were sampled, fixed, processed for routine technique and stained with hematoxylin and eosin stains. regional density of new epithelium and the numerical density of the blood vessels as well as the region numerical density of the blood vessles were calculated. the data were analyzed by two-way analysis of the variance. resutls: statistical analysis of the data showed the following results: 1. the difference between regional density of epithelium of control group and other groups was significant. 2. the differences between the numerical density of blood vessels of the nitrofurazone group and other group were significant. 3. the differences between the numerical density of blood vessels in the second experimental subgroups and the controls, the nitrofurazone group and first experimental subgroup, of nitrofurazone group and controls were significant. conclusion: the honey treated experimental subgroup showed a significant healing as compared with the controls and better than that of the nitrofurazone- treated group.