The effect of honey-impregnated human placenta membrane on burn wound healing in rat

Burn is a severe form of thermal injury. Placenta membrane has been introduced as a rapid physiological wound healer; honey has been known for its antibacterial activity and silver sulfadiazine (SSD) as one of the most commonly used topical treatment for partial thickness burns. Present study has been performed to compare the placenta membrane, honey-impregnated placenta membrane, and SSD-impregnated placenta membrane in the healing of burn wounds in rat. For this study, 64 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, placenta membrane, honey-impregnated placenta membrane, and SSD-impregnated placenta membrane groups. For all animals, under the general anesthesia, deep partial thickness burn was created. At the end of the first, second, third and fourth weeks of treatments, biopsies were taken from burn and adjacent normal areas. In the prepared slides, the number of polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes, vascular channels, and fibroblasts were examined. In the third group treated by honey-impregnated placenta membranes, PMN leukocyte count was significantly lower than that of the other three groups (P < 0.05). The amount of granulation tissue formation and the number of fibroblasts in this group were greater than those of the other three groups (P < 0.05). The organization of granulation tissue in the abovementioned group was significantly better (P < 0.05). The reepithelialization, containing horny layer, in the second and third groups was completely formed. The honey-impregnated placenta membrane was an ideal tissue for temporary wound coverage and repair surface injuries after partial thickness burns.