The effect of lavender oil on wound healing in experimental diabetic rats

The study was conducted to determine the effect of lavender oil on diabetic wound-healing in rats with an experimentally-induced diabetes model. The study was conducted experimentally in randomized-controlled design by using 48 male "Wistar Albino" rats with an average weight of 250-350gr between 7 October 2019 and 7 February 2020 with TUBITAK support. The study was conducted with 3 diabetic groups and 3 control groups with eight rats in each group. The rats taken in the experimental group were induced for a diabetes model with 60mg/kg streptozotocin. Three wounds were induced to the back of the rats with 12mm biopsy punch containing panniculus carniosus muscle. The wounds were left open after applying 0.5ml lavender oil to the groups, 0.5 g madecassol pomade as positive control, and 0.9% normal saline for negative control purposes. The follow-up of wound-healing was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. The wound diameter was measured on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 11th and 14th days, and wound-healing percentage with Walker formula with image J Image Analysis Program, and wounds were photographed. During the microscopic evaluation of the study, ¼ tissue samples were taken from the rats in the 1st, 7th and 14th days, and were examined histopathologically. The tissue samples were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin Staining, and indirect immunoperoxidase method to determine the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Collagen I and Collagen III distributions. Walker Recovery Percentage was highest and Image J measurements revealed that the lowest wound area was in groups dressing with lavender oil on all days of measurements in diabetic and control groups. In the microscopic examination of the study after H-E staining, it was found that lavender oil increased inflammatory cell infiltration on the first 7 days, increased angiogenesis on the 7th and 14th days, and accelerated granulation tissue formation and reepithelization. The VEGFA and Collagen-III were measured in groups with the highest level on the 7th day with Collagen-I levels of lavender oil on day 14. Significant differences were detected between lavender oil-SF groups in terms of wound-healing, and no significant differences were detected between madecassol-lavender. This shows that lavender oil has results that are consistent with positive control. Lavender oil dressing was found to be effective in wound healing macroscopically and microscopically in all groups. Keywords: Diabetic Foot, Lavender Oil, Nursing, Rat, Wound Care