Licorice (Glyccyrhiza Glabra) Accelerates the Burn Wound Healing in Rats and Inhibits Growth of Skin Pathogens In-Vitro

Abstract

Mohsen Zabihi, Pooya Taherifard, Ali Mohammad Ranjbar, Fatemeh Shishehbor

Background: Skin heat damage is considered as one of the most devastating condition and may cause some morbidities and mortalities. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is used in traditional Iranian medicine to treat burns.

Methods: Second- and third-degree burns on the dorsal skin in rats were induced under general anesthesia by a metal plate (2 cm in diameter). The wounds were treated topically with 6 concentrations of licorice root hydroalcoholic extract, silver sulfadiazine cream (1%) or normal saline as control for 21 days. Subsequently, the macroscopic and the histopathologic parameters including epithelialization, neutrophil migration, angiogenesis, collagen formation and wound contraction were evaluated. The anti-bacterial effects of the extract on some pathogens of wound infections including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp were also studied in-vitro.

Results: Topical application of Licorice root hydroalcoholic extract at higher concentrations than 8% accelerated the wound healing process, and increased the contraction and shrinkage of the burn. Licorice root extract inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa without any inhibitory effect on the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii.

Conclusion: Licorice is a promising remedy for accelerating wound healing in skin burns.

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