Saudi Journal of Medicine (SJM)
Volume-5 | Issue-03 | 153-158
Original Research Article
Effect of Powdered Achantina Fulica Species Snail Shell on Wound Morphometry of Wistar Rats
Peter D. Okoh, John N. Paul, Esanye T. Ofoeyeno
Published : March 18, 2020
Abstract
Background: Wound healing is the process of repair that follows injury to the skin and other soft tissues. It is a natural restorative response to tissues injury. In the primitive years a lot of substances were considered to be medicinal and were used to enhance wound size contraction and closure. Similarly, the Iwere people of Delta State, Nigeria are known for using Achantina fulica species shell for wound healing although there is no known empirical study showing its ability to enhance wound contraction. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the wound healing effect of powdered snail shell of Achantina fulica species on the wound sizes of rat. Materials and Methods: Eight wistar rats were used and grouped into experimental and control groups. Paravertebral round wound of 2cm were made on the skin of each rat under light chloroform anesthesia. The wounds were treated with powdered snail shell and 0.9% normal saline for the experimental and control group respectively. Wound sizes were measured everyday using a meter rule before redressing. Results and Discussions: Day 1, 2, 3, showed percentage reduction of 100%, 99% 92. 5% for those of the experimental group while 99%, 94% and 90% for those of the control group. On day 4, the percentage reduction was 72% for the experimental while 86% for the control group. This was the first outstanding wound size reduction observed in rats dressed with powdered snail shell. The wound size reduction continued from day 5- 12 with a percentage reduction of 61.5%, 50%, 40%, 34%, 26.5%, 24%, 15%, 9% for the experimental group while that of the control group was 86%, 76.5%, 65%, 63.7% 57.5%, 55%, 5 1.5%, 47.5%, 42.5%. Conclusion: The wounds treated with powered snail shell by day 13 was completely healed while those on 0.9% normal saline took 21 days to heal. It suggests that the powdered Achantina fulica shell promoted the wound size contraction which further led to a rapid healing and wound closure earlier than the control in the study. It could be inferred that this Achantina fulica shell powder could be refined and used as an alternative substance for wound healing.