Neovascular Pattern in Wound Healing after Zinc Oxide and Curcuma longa Rhizome Extract Dressing Application

INTRODUCTION: Zinc oxide-eugenol dressing is widely used in the dentistry field. Eugenol in wound dressing acts as an antibacterial and analgesic agent but known to cause hypersensitivity reaction and allergies. Curcuma longa rhizome extract could perform as a substitute of eugenol as its active compounds have an anti-inflammation, antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial properties. It has also been shown to have proangiogenic and promote wound healing. This study aimed to discover the number of neovascular in the wound healing process after the application of zinc oxide and C. longa rhizome extract wound dressing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Full-thickness excision wound of 6 mm × 6 mm was made in the dorsal of 32 Wistar strains Rattus norvegicus, before being equally divided into eight groups (n = 4): four control groups (C3, C5, C7, and C14) without any dressing and 4 treatment groups (T3, T5, T7, and T14) were dressed with zinc oxide and C. longa extract wound dressing. The rats consecutively sacrificed on day 3 (C3, T3), day 5 (C5, T5), day 7 (C7, T7), and day 14 (C14, T14) to observe the neovascular pattern and number using H and E staining. Obtained data were analyzed using ANOVA. RESULTS: The neovascular growth in both control and treatment groups have the same pattern, while the number of neovascular in treatment groups significantly higher than the control groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Wound dressing combination of zinc oxide and C. longa extract can increase the number of neovascular in the wound healing process, while the optimum duration of application is 14 days.