Ann. Medit. Burns Club - voL 6 - n. 1 - March 1993
THE THERAPEUTIC ACTION OF ALKANIA ROOT EXTRACT IN THE CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF PARTIAL-THICKNESS BURN INJURIES Michaelides C, Striglis C, Panayiotou R, loannovich J. General State Hospital, Department of Plastic Surgery and Microsurgery, Athens, Greece SUMMARY. Alkanin and its esters have been known to medical science since ancient times and their healing properties are used in many folk remedies. Helixdenn, an alkania root ointment, was used in order to test its efficiency in the care of partial-thickness burn injuries. A scoring system was established based on the criteria of pain, redness, oedema, bullae, traumatic sepsis and reinfection, and the results were compared to conventional treatment. It was found that in partial-thickness burns Helixderm offered quicker and more comfortable healing and that the surface tissue was smooth and not fragile. Purpose The purpose of this clinical research was to study the efficiency and safety of alkania root ointment (Helixderm) in patients with partial-thickness burn injuries. Introduction The potent healing properties of alkanin and its esters seem to have been known since very ancient times. These properties were first mentioned in the five-volume book by the Greek physician and philosopher Dioscopides, "De Materia Medica". The properties were used in many folk medicine remedies of the Far East. More specifically, the Japanese and Chinese still today make extensive use of the preparation "Sliiunko" for the healing of burns, wounds and persistent ulcers. The active ingredients of Helixderni, its racemose structure and the esters of the optical antipodes of alkanin and shiconin present a multipotent pharmacological action:
Material and methods The study was random and compared Helixderm treatment with conventional conservative treatment. Forty out-patients in the Plastic Surgery Department of the general State Hospital, Athens, were studied. They were selected according to the following criteria:
Twenty patients (12 m. and 8 f. from 15-59
years old) were treated with Helixderm and the remaining 20 (10 m. and 10 f. from 22-66
years old) with the usual conservative treatment, Fucidin gauze and Betadine solution.
'The patients' medical history was taken, including all the medicaments used prior to our
treatment. A record of simultaneously administered treatment was also kept.
Evaluation was scored as 0 for absence, 1 for slight, 2 for moderate, 3 for intense, 4 for extremely intense. General observation and tolerance control were performed not only at each examination but also upon completion of treatment. Results Neither group presented signs of
reinfection. It is worth noting that the group treated with Helixderm showed an
accelerated healing rate following the second and third change of dressings, i.e. 3-6 days
post-injury. Conclusion In conclusion, without underestimating the therapeutic capability of conventional conservative treatment, we must affirm that the use of HeliAerm on partial-thickness burn injuries offers quicker and more comfortable healing with a smooth and not fragile surface tissue. RESUME. On connaît depuis l'antiquité l'alcane et ses esters et leurs propriétés sont employées dans beaucoup de remèdes traditionnels. Les auteurs ont utilisé l'Helixderm, une pommade à bas de racine d'alcama, pour vérifier son efficacité dans le traitement des lésions à épaisseur variable dues aux brûlures. Un système de points a été créé, basé sur les critères de douleur, rougeur, oedème, bulles, sepsis traumatique et réinfection, et les résultats ont été confrontés au traitement conventionnel. Les auteurs ont pu montrer que dans les brûlures à épaisseur variable l'Helixderm. offre une guérison plus rapide et plus confortable et que le tissu superficiel est lisse et non fragile. |
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