title: Preclinical efficacy and safety of herbal formulation for management of wounds.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medicinal plants in Uganda and other developing countries have been scientifically demonstrated to have medicinal benefits but few or none have been translated to products for clinical use. Most herbal products developed by local herbalists and sold to the public are not standardized and lack efficacy and safety data to support use.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To formulate from two Ugandan medicinal plants a herbal product for wound management and test its preclinical safety and efficacy using rat models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty (30) Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups and wounds were surgically created on the mid-dorsal region. The wounds were treated topically with distilled water (group I), Jena(®) (group II)and Neomycin sulfate cream (group III). The effects of the treatments on rate of wound closure, epithelialisation time and histological organization of tissue were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The herbal formulation (Jena) had a significantly higher rate of wound closure than neomycin (p<0.05) which itself was better than distilled water. Epithelialisation time was also significantly shorter for the herbal product (p<0.01). Histological picture revealed more collagen fibers, less inflammation and better tissue remodeling for rats treated with herbal product.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The herbal formulation Jena(®) systematically designed and formulated based on two Ugandan medicinal plants is according to this study better than neomycin and probably other imported products for wound management in Uganda. We recommend its trial in a clinical setting as an alternative in wound management.
authors.affiliation: Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda. pe7321@gmail.com
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Ogwang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyafuono
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agwaya
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Omujal
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Tumusiime
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kyakulaga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D029562:Magnoliaceae; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018515:Plant Leaves; D018517:Plant Roots; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014454:Uganda; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D032106:Zanthoxylum