Comparison of the Effects of Cinnamic Acid and Silver Sulfadiazine on Deep Second-degree Burns in Rabbits

Background: Burns are wounds caused by thermal, chemical, electrical, or radiation injuries. They are complex wounds that are difficult to heal and are associated with thousands of deaths each year. Cinnamic acid (CA) is a natural organic compound found in plants, fruits, vegetables, and honey. CA possesses antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound healing properties. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the healing effects of CA with silver sulfadiazine (SSD), a standard topical agent for burn treatment, on deep second-degree burns. Methods: This experimental study compared the healing effects of CA and SSD on second-degree burns. Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits weighing 2 to 2.3 kg were divided into 5 equal groups. Deep second-degree burn wounds were created on the backs of the rabbits by contacting a heated circular metal plate. The first group was treated with SSD 1% cream, the second, third, and fourth groups were treated with prepared ointments containing 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% w/w of CA in Eucerin, respectively. The fifth group was treated with Eucerin alone. Wound healing effects were assessed by measuring the rate of wound contraction and the amount of collagen in tissue specimens obtained from different groups. Additionally, histopathological studies were performed on tissue samples. Results: The results showed that CA was significantly more effective than SSD in burn wound healing. Cinnamic acid ointments significantly increased the rate of wound contraction (P < 0.05) and tissue collagen content (P < 0.001) compared to SSD and Eucerin. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that topical CA possesses burn wound healing properties and could be used as an effective topical agent for the treatment of burns.