Impact of licorice root on the burn healing process: A double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial

Mohsen Zabihi; Bahareh Hatefi; Mohammad Ebrahimzadeh Ardakani; Ali Mohammad Ranjbar; Farhad Mohammadi

doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102941

Impact of licorice root on the burn healing process: A double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial

Complement Ther Med. 2023 May:73:102941. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102941. Epub 2023 Mar 2.

Authors

Mohsen Zabihi¹, Bahareh Hatefi¹, Mohammad Ebrahimzadeh Ardakani², Ali Mohammad Ranjbar³, Farhad Mohammadi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
² Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Shohadaye Mehrab Burn Injuries Hospital, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
³ Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran; Traditional Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Electronic address: amranjbar@razi.tums.ac.ir.
⁴ Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

PMID: 36870516
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102941

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Due to the known side effects of many synthetic drugs, the use of herbal and natural substances in treating diseases such as burns has been considered. licorice is a herbal medicine whose stem and underground roots are used in traditional medicine in many countries, including Iran, for anti-inflammatory, stomach ulcer healing, and antimicrobial purposes.

Aim of the study: This study investigated the healing effect of hydroalcoholic extract of licorice root on the wound healing process caused by second-degree burns.

Methods: The hydroalcoholic extract of licorice was prepared in ethanol solvent, and then the licorice hydrogel product was designed using gelling compounds. Then, in a double-blinded randomized clinical trial, 50 patients with second-degree burns were selected based on inclusion criteria from the patients referred to Yazd Hospital and Isfahan Hospital. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: the control group receiving hydrogel without extract and the intervention group receiving hydrogel containing licorice root hydroalcoholic extract. The intervention lasted for 15 days, and during this period, the wound-healing process was evaluated on days 1, 3, 6, 10, and 15. Data were analyzed using SPSS software with independent T-test and Mann-Whitney U tests with a maximum error of 5 %.

Results: The rate of inflammation (From the 3rd day to the 10th day), redness (From the 6th day to the 15th day), pain (on the 3rd day), and burning (From the 3rd day to the 15th day) of the wound in the group that used the hydrogel-containing hydroalcoholic extract of licorice root was significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.05), and the healing process was significantly faster than the control group.

Conclusion: Hydroalcoholic extract of licorice root can accelerate the healing process of second-degree burns.

Keywords: Botanical medicine; Burns; Clinical trial; Glycyrrhiza glabra L.; Herbs; Licorice; Skin; Wounds and Injuries.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Burns* / drug therapy
Glycyrrhiza*
Humans
Medicine, Traditional
Plant Extracts / adverse effects
Wound Healing

Substances

Plant Extracts