Comparative Study of Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Povidone Iodine in Surgical Wound Healing in Rabbit.

Duration and remainder scar are two important problems in process of surgical wound healing, especially in low midline incisions that usually have more duration and wider scar in their healing process. The aim of this study was a comparison between Honey and Povidone Iodine in surgical wound healing, because of Honey is the world’s oldest known wound dressing and there are several reports from its antibacterial properties and stimulating effects on wound healing process. This clinical trial study was performed on 40 female Rabbits that were non-pregnant, 5 months aged with average weight of 1900 grams, belonging to Albino race, in Animal Institute in Tehran, Iran in the year 2006. For beginning, Rabbits were divided into two equal groups randomly, and then similar surgical incisions 10 cm traced were applied after appropriate shaving and local anesthesia on exterior area of right thigh of all rabbits. Then all Rabbits wounds sutured by Silk 2.0 separately and were covered similarly. Covering of wounds in two groups were changed every 12 hours and wounds were dressed with 5 ml of purred natural Honey in first group and in the second group irrigated with 5 ml of Povidone Iodine 10% in every time. The findings were recorded and analyzed with SPSS software by using of chi-square and t test, p<0.05 was considered as significant. Appropriate wound healing in Rabbits 4 days after surgery was significantly different in Honey and Povidone Iodine groups (17/20 or 85% vs. 8/20 or 40%, p=0.0032), in 7th days after surgery this differentiation was significant also (20/20 or 100% vs 11/20 or 55%, p=0.0072). Width of scar 2 weeks after surgery was significantly different in two groups too (2mm SD±1 vs. 5mm SD± 1, p= 0.0043). Use of Honey as wound dressing after surgery reduces duration of healing and width of scar more than Povidone Iodine and it’s a good alternative for stimulating and improvement of surgical wound healing.