Herbal hydrogel helps accelerate wound healing
A unique herbal treatment could help treatment acne sufferers faster than prescription drugs.
Researchers studied a herbal gel containing green tea, ginger, Indian gooseberry, salicylic acid, gelatin and carboxymethyl cellulose ingredients.
Previous studies had shown the first four ingredients to be useful in the treatment of acne.
The new gel reduced inflammation and improved the rate of acne closure after 14 days of treatment, with more than half of the 24 patients studied experiencing a 50 per cent healing rate.
“Current prescription drugs may not produce a change for four to eight weeks, but the herbal extract-loaded hydrogel cured acne rapidly, possibly due to the active ingredients and protection of the skin barrier from outer pathogens,” the researchers said.
They said green tea, Indian gooseberry and ginger extracts all have anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, and antibacterial effects that speed up the wound healing process.
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