The cost of burn wound care in low-income nations could be reduced with the use of palm kernel oil: A preliminary study

INTRODUCTION: Palm kernel oil, Shea butter and honey are used traditionally for the treatment of variety of ailments in West Africa, but there are no scientific report on burn wound healing activity of Shea butter and palm kernel oil, although honey has been in use for the treatment of burn wound. This study aim to compare the wound healing effect of these organic compounds (palm kernel oil, Shea butter and honey) in the treatment of deep dermal or full thickness burn wound to the conventional Silver sulfadiazine and povidone iodine creams in laboratory albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 25 rats weighing from 250–300 grams were randomly divided into five groups. About 225 mm2 deep dermal burn/or full thickness burn wound was created on the dorsum of the rats. The burn wound were dressed every alternate day with group (1) treated with honey; group (2) Shea butter; group (3) palm kernel oil; group (4) 1% silver sulfadiazine and group (5) 5% povidone iodine cream. Epithelialization observed and contraction was measured at the time of the dressing. FINDINGS: There was rapid reduction in the wound size by day 6 (P≤0.05) in the palm kernel and povidone iodine cream treated group and by day 8 the wound in both group were completely closed, the Shea butter treated group wound shows significant contraction by day 10 and the wound were closed only from day 14 on ward. CONCLUSION: Palm kernel oil is an affordable and readily available topical agent that holds potential for rapid burn wound healing.