Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacco) Promotes Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats

Objective: The health hazards of tobacco smoking and diabetes mellitus constitute major and diverse global burden. The influence of Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) powder and ethanolic extract on excised wound of diabetic rats was investigated.

Methods: The wounds of diabetic adult male wistar rats in groups of six were dressed with tobacco powder (TPD), tobacco ethanolic extract (TED), sofratulle (SD) and normal saline (ND) daily till healed. There were composite control groups namely TPC, TEC, SC and NC.

Every three days, the wound areas were measured in order to calculate the mean wound contraction rates. Granulation tissue was biopsied from an animal per group on day 3,6 and 9 for histopathological evaluation and after healing, the scars of the remaining animals were biopsied for histology.

Results: On day 3, the tobacco powder diabetic (TPD) group had the highest mean wound contraction rate and even higher than its control group. At day 18, the tobacco extract control group had the least mean wound contraction rate. The mean wound contraction rates of some diabetic groups were significantly higher than those of the respective control on day 3 and 12 (TPD vs TPC; TED vs TEC). The TPD mean wound contraction rates were significantly higher than those of ND on day 3,6,9 and 12. Histology of the granulation tissues of the tobacco diabetic groups was similar to those of the other groups. Sections of the wound scars revealed stratified squamous epithelia with abundant collagen fibres and blood vessels in all the groups. It was also observed that the scars were more fibrous than cellular with dermal appendages observed in some of the groups.

Conclusion: Topical application of Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacco) promotes wound healing with scars comparable to those of rats dressed with sofratulle.