Title: Comparison of Normal Saline and Honey Dressing in Wound Preparations for

Skin Grafting
Bibliography: Bashir, M., et.al. (2010). ANNALS: Comparison of Normal Saline and
Honey Dressing in Wound Preparations for Skin Grafting, Vol. 6,
No. 2. Retrieved on January 30, 2011 from
http://www.annalskemu.org/journal/index.php/annals/article/viewPD
Fnterstitial/195/170.
Summary:
Wounds and their management are fundamental to the practice of plastic
surgery. Search for an effective, cheap and easily available dressing continues. To keep
the pathogens count low various dressings ranging from naturally available products like
honey, banana leaves, papaya, amniotic membranes to bactericidal chemotherapeutic
applications like silver sulphadiazine, chlorhexidine, etc. are used with variable results.
Normal saline dressing functions in part as an osmotic dressing. Application of simple
normal saline soaked gauze dressing is cost effective, easily available and has no
known cytotoxic side effects. Continuously moist saline gauze dressings are as effective
for autolytic debridement as other types of moist dressings in terms of healing rate and
have the additional benefits of easy application and regular wound examination. The
hyperosmolarity of the normal saline dressing provides an osmotic gradient for
absorption of wound fluid and desloughing, contributing to its effectiveness as moist
wound dressing promoting granulation and epithelialization. Honey has been an integral
part of medicinal culture in different parts of the world. t is one of the earliest known
dressings for the wound acting as osmotic dressing with the added benefit of its
antibacterial properties. t has been observed that inflammation, swelling and pain are
decreased with the use of honey and healing is enhanced. n clinical practice both
normal saline and honey gauze dressings are used in preparing the wounds with
patches of slough and pale granulation tissue. n conclusion, Normal saline dressing is
a hyperosmolar physiological dressing and prepares the wound faster than honey
dressing at a low cost with quite satisfactory graft take.

Title: Medicinal Plants and their Role in Wound Healing
Bibliography: Raina, Rajinder, et.al. (2008). Vet Scan: Medicinal Plants and their Role in
Wound Healing, Vol. 3, No. 1, Art. 21. Retrieved on January 31, 2011,
from http://www.kashvet.org/medicinal_plants_wound_healing.html.
Summary:
Wound is defined simply as the disruption of the cellular and anatomic continuity
of a tissue. The aim of treating a wound is to either shorten the time required for
healing or to minimize the undesired consequences. Nedical treatment of wound
includes administration of drugs either locally (topical) or systemically (oral or
parenteral) in an attempt to aid wound repair. The topical agents used include
antibiotics and antiseptics, desloughing agents (chemical debridement, e.g. hydrogen
peroxide, eusol and collagenase ointment), wound healing promoters (e.g. Tretinoin,
aloe vera extract, honey, comfrey, benzoyl peroxide, chamomilia extract, dexpanthenol,
tetrachlordecaxide solution, clostebol acetate and the experimental cytokines. Wound
healing herbals encourage blood clotting, fight infection and accelerate the healing of
wounds. A few plants/plant products with promise are discussed in this paper. One is
Aloe vera which shows to have antiinflammatory activity. They also stimulate wound
healing. Second, Neem oil is a powerful insect repellant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti
viral, antiinflammatory and also strengthens the body's overall immune responses. !t
contains fatty acids which build collagen, promote wound healing and maintain the
skin's elasticity. The active ingredients of neem oil help in the process of wound healing
and the skin is able to retain its suppleness as the wounds heal. Neem leaf extracts and
oil from seeds has proven antimicrobial effect. This keeps any wound or lesion free
from secondary infections by microorganisms. Clinical studies have also revealed that
neem inhibits inflammation as effectively as cortisone acetate, this effect further
accelerates wound healing.


Title: 10 Medicinal Plants
Bibliography: Feria, Monica, (2007). Philippine Daily nquirer: 10 Medicinal Plants.
Retrieved on January 31, 2011 from http://opinion.inquirer.
net/inquireropinion/talkofthetown/view/20071006-93006/10_medici
nal_plants.
Summary:
Health research and development over the past 30 years has focused on only 10
medicinal plants. DR. JAME GALVEZ-TAN, former director of the National nstitutes of
Health (NH) and now president of Health Futures Foundation nc., wants Congress to
allot at least P200 million--an amount touted as mere bribe money in the National
Broadband Network deal--for the research and development of a new batch of herbal
medicines. The Philippines hosts some of the most diverse flora in the world. About
1,500 of over 13,000 plant species in the country have identified medicinal value. The
original 10 medicinal plants being promoted by the Department of Health are: lagundi
(Vitex negundo), yerba buena (Mentha cordifolia Opiz), sambong (Blumea balsamifera),
tsaang gubat (Carmona retusa), ampalaya (Momordica charantia), niyug-niyogan
(Quisqualis indica), bayabas (Psidium guajava), akapulko (Cassia alata), ulasimang
bato (Peperomia pellucida), and bawang (Allium sativum). Many of them are already
available in commercial preparations. Excluding the first-10 DOH-approved plants, the
list includes: Dita bark, sinta herb, kintsay leaf, sampaguita flower, ipil-ipil seeds,
makahiya herb, apatot fruit, malunggay bark, ikmo leaf, paminta, oregano leaf, mayana
leaf, granada rind, romero leaf, akasya leaf, duhat bark, sampalok pulp, makabuhay
stem, ginger and banaba. One of the prospects for the Next 10 is Luyang dilaw
(turmeric), Curcuma longa L., which is indicated for wounds and swelling.