The Effects of Hyperı̇cum perforatum (St. John's Wort) Oil on Wound Healing and Comparison with Those of Collagenase Drugs

Background and Objectives: Wound healing is among the most fundamental problems in the field of health. Oil of Hypericum perforatum (HP) has been used for various ailments, particularly depression, burns, and wound healing, globally for a long period of time. We investigated the healing-promoting effect of HP oil on wound healing histopathologically and macroscopically in an experimental wound model in rats, aiming to compare the results with those of collagenase pomade, which is actively used in the literature. Materials and Methods: A total of 32 male Wistar rats of similar were used for the experiment. The animals were randomly divided into four groups, each consisting of eight rats. After the dorsal areas of the rats were shaved and disinfected with povidone-iodine solution, a 1 cm2 full-thickness wound was created on the backs of each rat. The sham (control) group received dry gauze dressings, while the physiological saline (PS) group was treated with saline-soaked gauze. The collagenase ointment pomade (CP) group and HP groups were treated with gauze impregnated with 0.1 grams of these substances. All wounds were dressed twice daily, in the morning and evening. The second group was treated with physiological saline. The third group was treated with collagenase ointment. And the fourth group was treated with St. John's Wort oil. Wound areas were measured on days 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21. In addition, histopathological evaluation was performed on tissue samples obtained on day 14, and the day of complete wound closure was recorded for each animal. Results: When the findings were statistically analyzed, wounds treated with St. John's Wort oil and collagenase ointment healed significantly faster than the other groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, St. John’s Wort oil appears to be a promising topical agent for enhancing wound healing, as it accelerates the healing process. However, controlled clinical trials in human subjects would provide the most definitive evidence on this topic.