Evaluation of Wound Healing, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Extracts: In Vivo and In Vitro Approaches

Cinnamomum zeylanicum possesses various biological properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects, which suggest it might promote wound healing. A comprehensive study was done using an excision wound model in Wister rat to determine the wound healing abilities of this plant extracts. A total of 48 Wister rats were distributed equally into four groups such as normal control, vehicle control, povidone-iodine as standard treatment and treatment with plant extract. Wound contraction was determined by the complete healed day of wounds and their macroscopic observation. Besides, hematoxylin and eosin staining was done to evaluate the skin microstructure. In addition, the 1,1-Diphenyl-2Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity assay was used to measure the antioxidant effect of plant extracts. The results indicated that wounds treated with the plant extract healed significantly faster compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Histopathology of the plant-treated group showed enhanced reepithelialisation, neovascularisation, and accelerated fibroblast activity, along with reduced inflammatory cell accumulation. Additionally, the ethanolic extract displayed strong antimicrobial activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria, by disrupting cell envelopes and causing leakage of intracellular contents. These findings highlight the potential of Cinnamomum zeylanicum extract in accelerating wound healing, likely due to its potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.