Abstract

Background: Silver sulfadiazine (SSD) is the most used topical agent for the treatment of burn wounds. However, it has some side effects such as delayed and incomplete epithelialization, generation of black scars, and limited penetration to the depth of a wound. Objective: The present study investigated the efficacy of herbal combination cream containing Aloe vera gel and essential oils of Lavandula stoechas and Pelargonium roseum in the alleviation of symptoms in patients with superficial second-degree burns and comparison of its effects with those of SSD 1 cream. Methods: One hundred eleven patients with second-degree burns (occurring in the preceding 48 hours and affecting <50 body area) were randomized to receive either herbal cream (n = 56) or SSD 1 cream (n = 55) applied once daily for 14 days. Prevalence of skin dryness and pain severity (assessed using a visual analogue scale) and evidence of infection was determined for patients at baseline as well days 2, 7, and 14. Results: Both groups experienced a significant reduction in the pain severity at day 14 compared to baseline (p <0.001). As for the magnitude of change in pain score, there was a significantly greater reduction from baseline to the seven (p = 0.014) and 14 (p = 0.05) day in the herbal cream compared to control group. The frequency of skin dryness was not significantly different between the groups at any of the assessed time points (p >0.05). There was a single case of infection in the herbal cream group, which cleared with continuation of treatment. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that the herbal cream used here is superior to SSD 1 cream in the alleviation of pain and may serve as a natural alternative for treatment of second-degree burns.