Philippine E-Journals

Effectiveness of Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum var. variegatum) Ointment in Skin Burns of Albino Rats (Rattus norvegicus strain Sprague Dawley) Compared to Silver Sulfadiazine

Julius T. Capili | Nasudi M. Pastores

 

Abstract:

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the spider plant root extract in treating third degree skin burns and compare its effectivity with a commercially available treatment – Silver sulfadiazine. The parameters studied were color change, diameter measurement, absorbance of the bacterial culture, and the rate of epithelialization and granulation in the site of injury. The study used the qualitative experimental method of research consisting of four treatments with eight replicates to evaluate the effectiveness of the root extract ointment within 15 days duration of study. Based on color changes and statistics of the diameter measurements, spider plant root ointment and silver sulfadiazine showed no significant difference. However, significant difference between the spider plant ointment and base and no treatment spots were observed. Disc diffusion assay was also conducted where each treatment’s zone of inhibitions were measured. Results showed that Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa both exhibit partial sensitivity on all treatments. Histopathological analysis of skin tissue sections of burn spots was conducted to monitor the cellular changes microscopically. Rate of wound healing process was assessed through rate of epithelialization, granulation, and fibrosis. Spider plant root ointment had showed epithelialization and granulation at the 9th day and tissue fibrosis at the 13th day. Silver sulfadiazine showed epithelialization at 7th day and tissue fibrosis at the 13th day. The base treatment and no treatment spots only showed tissue granulation and epithelialization at the 15th day. The prepared spider plant ointment has shown promise as a new treatment for skin burns.