Comparison of Healing Effects of Propolis to Silver Sulfadiazine on Full Thickness Skin Wounds in Rabbits

The effects of propolis and silver sulfadiazine (SS) on the wound healing were determined using qualitative and quantitative parameters and histopathological findings. A total of 30 full thickness skin wounds, 3 from each of 10 rabbits, were created on their dorsal aspects. Of these wounds, 10 were allocated to group 1 (propolis), other 10 group 2 (SS) and other 10 control. The skin wound in the 1, 2 and 3 groups were covered daily with 50% propolis cream, SS skin cream and bepanthane cream (control), respectively. Postoperatively the wound surfaces were macroscopically examined and the healing process and the rates of wound expansion, contraction and epithelialization processes were quantitatively analyzed. As a result, propolis was found in general to have a better wound healing feature than others.