WOUND HEALING EFFICACY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ABHAL (JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS L.)- A TOPICAL EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Background: -A cross-sectional study (2022-2023) screening 10,003 individuals found an overall chronic wound prevalence of 1.89 per 1,000, higher in rural (2.64) than urban (1.57) areas, are chiefly caused by diabetic foot ulcers and neglected trauma, often arising from inadequately managed acute injuries or comorbidities, and impose a substantial burden on quality of life. Excessive use of topical antibiotics has contributed to resistant organisms,underscoring the need for herbal alternatives. Abhal (Juniperus communis L.), an Unani drug with reported wound-healing potential yet limited scientific validation, was therefore investigated in this study. Methods: This study evaluated the wound-healing efficacy of a methanolic extract of Abhal (Juniperus communis L.) using 36 Wistar rats divided into three groups: negative control, standard antibiotic, and Abhal test group. A 20 mm circular excision wound was created on each rat, and treatments were applied topically once daily. Healing progress was tracked through photographs and graph paper measurements on days 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 to determine wound contraction percentage and epithelialization time (analyzed via one-way ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer tests).