ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the efficacy Eucalyptus teritocornis ethanoloic leaf extract in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infected skin wound in Albino Spraque Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus). Design: Experimental design: four (4) treatment groups with 5 rats each. Population: Twenty (20) Albino Spraque Dawley rats of the same age, sex and weight (+/-20 grams) were randomly distributed into 4 treatment groups. Intervention: Each group was assigned, to either E. tereticornis ethanol extract, 2 percent Mupirocin cream. Plain normal saline solution and no treatment. Outcome measures: Cure rate, rate of epithelialization, Rate of granulation, Scar formation and Bacterial growth in culture Results: The study revealed a 100 percent cure rate for the E. tereticornis extract treated group 7 days post treatment which is clinically higher than the 40 percent cure rate of the no treatment group, 60 percent cure rate of the Plain NSS group and 80 percent cure rate of the 2 percent. Mupirocin cream treated group. On the histologic findings, the rate of epitheliazation and rate of granulation of tissue was found to be comparable in the E. tereticornis group and 2 percent Mupirocin cream group and was significantly higher than the NSS group and no treatment group. Growth of bacterial culture and scar formation were found not be statistically significant. Conclusion: Based on the data, there is no sufficient evidence to suggest that E. Tereticornis ethanolic leaf extract is efficacious in the treatment of S. aureus infected wound lesions, however, the rate of epithelialization and granulation of tissue was found to be statistically higher in the E. tereticornis group which is comparable to the rate of epitheliazation and granulation of tissue of the 2 percent Mupirocin group.
