Skin wound healing especially when it occurs on the face or somewhere important for cosmetic reasons, is very significant physiological procedure. It is quite obvious that promoting this healing is important too. One of the most popular compounds used ever for skin care is Matricaria oil or Matricaria Chamomilla essential oil. Its healing promoting effects were discovered centuries ago. In this study we tried to compare the effects of Matricaria Chamomilla and Zinc oxide on secondary intentioned openwound healing in rats. Zinc oxide is being used worldwide as an absorbent and protective compound. Its pharmacological properties are wide and its non-toxic material allows it to be used as a routine skin care substance. Matricaria Chamomilla EO has proven to have anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting, fibroblast activating, anti-hyaluronidase and anti-microbial effects. Effects mentioned previously are so important in wound healing process. In current study, 75 female wistar rats where included in 5 groups. First group is marked as Control group. Second group marked as placebo group, third group was receiving medications with Zinc oxide topical ointment and two remaining groups are test groups which received High and Low dose Matricaria Chamomilla EO. Full thickness Incisional wound with 23 mm diameter was made with surgical scissors and scalpel. The whole operation was taking place under general Anesthesia and analgesia circumstances. After making surgical wounds, rats are treated with: Eucerin as the placebo, 20% Zinc oxide in eucerin base, high and low dose (20% and 10%), Matricaria oil and no treatment for control group. Rats are observed for 28 days for wound closure process and inflammatory conditions taking place in wound. Biopsy intervals are 0 (the day of surgery), 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28th day after surgery. In these certain days rats were euthanized and biopsies of wound sites were obtained. Wounds area are also measured by Scion Image™ software daily. At last, all data were analyzed using SPSS statistics ver.17 and corresponding diagrams were drawn. As a result, Matricaria Chamomilla at the dose of 10% has significant healing properties compared to Zinc oxide. These data were validating under confidence surface of 95 % (p<0.01).
