The Beneficial Effects of Green Tea Extract and Its Main Derivatives in Repairing Skin Burns of Rabbits

In a study from 2011, researchers investigated the effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) extracts on the healing of direct fire burns in rabbits, comparing it to a standard antibiotic ointment. The study involved 25 animals divided into five groups of five, each receiving different treatments: control (untreated), crude green tea extract, polyphenol fraction, terpenes extract, and antibiotic ointment. By the fifth week, most treatments had significantly reduced the wound size, with many wounds fully healed, showing normal skin and hair regrowth, although some treated burns did not regrow hair and had an abnormal skin appearance. Histological analysis showed that the green tea extract treated wounds had a more normal skin architecture than untreated wounds. The crude green tea extract was found to be more effective in healing than the antibiotic ointment or the essential oil derivatives (terpenes and polyphenols). Terpenes and polyphenols, while less effective in wound closure, were noted to have good antimicrobial properties, preventing microbial growth on the wounds after application.