The effect of the Verbascum Thapsus on episiotomy wound healing in nulliparous women: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The pain and discomfort caused by episiotomy affect the quality of life of the mothers, so rapid and complete repair of the episiotomy is very important. Due to the effective ingredients of Verbascum Thapsus, it has been used since ancient times to treat wounds. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of Verbascum Thapsus on episiotomy wound healing. METHODS: The study was designed as a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. Ninety-three primiparous women who were referred to Fatemeh Zahra Hospital in Saveh in 2015 were randomly divided into two groups of intervention (Verbascum Thapsus) and control (placebo). Both groups covered the episiotomy wound twice a day for 10 days with 2 cm of prescribed creams. Wound healing was assessed using the REEDA scale before the intervention and on days 1,3 and 10 after the intervention. RESULTS: Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of demographic characteristics, obstetrics, and REEDA scores between the two groups (p < 0.05). The mean scores of REEDA on days 1 and 3 in the intervention group were better than the control group but were not statistically significant. However, on the tenth day after the intervention, the mean scores of REEDA were significantly better in the Verbascum group than the placebo (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, it seems that Verbascum Thapsus is effective in repairing episiotomy wounds. The researchers hope that the results of this study can provide clinical evidence for the use of this herbal medicine in the wound healing process. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with the code “IRCT201404073106N15” on 02/12/2015.