Wound Healing and Toxicity Evaluation of Aloe vera Cream on Outpatients with Second Degree Burns

Aloe vera is a tropical plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. It has beneficial effects in variety of diseases. The aim of this study was to formulate a topical cream from A. vera with wound burn healing effect and to perform its clinical trial. Atotal of 30 patients (20 males and 10 females in the age range of 20-50 years) with second degree burn wounds on their both hands were selected for the study. The subjects used A. vera topical formulation or silver sulfadiazine 1% cream on each hand as the test and control, symmetrically. The rate of healing was measured and compared on 0 to 18 days after treatment. Results indicated that average percent of healing with A. vera on day 10 was 90.6% compared with silver sulfadiazine which was only 29.8% (p<0.001). Toxicity monitoring of the burn surfaces during healing course according to patient responses showed neither rashes, swelling, inflammation, redness, irritation, itching nor any other toxicity symptoms. Significant effect of A. vera on burn wounds without any adverse dermal toxic effects is very promising and it may be employed in management of burn wound, routinely.