Comparison of Clove Leaf Oil Ointment Dosages on Wound Healing in Wistar Rats

In Indonesia, clove (Syzygium aromaticum) has long been utilized both as a culinary spice and as a traditional herbal medicine due to its wide range of biological activities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects. Its major active compound, eugenol (72–90%), plays a crucial role as an antiseptic and analgesic agent, supported by other constituents such as caryophyllene, α-cadinol, limonene, phenolics, and flavonoids, which contribute to its antioxidant and free radical–scavenging properties. Clove leaf oil used in this study was obtained through steam distillation, ensuring consistency and stability of its bioactive components. This research employed a true experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group approach involving 25 male Wistar rats, divided into five groups: a positive control (10% povidone-iodine), a negative control (0.9% NaCl), and three treatment groups receiving clove leaf oil ointment at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%, respectively. The wound-healing parameters observed included erythema, edema, exudate, granulation tissue formation, and wound length reduction. The Kruskal–Wallis test revealed statistically significant differences across all treatment groups for each variable erythema, edema, exudate, granulation tissue, and wound length (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Clove leaf oil (Syzygium aromaticum) effectively accelerates wound healing, as evidenced by the reduction of erythema, edema, and exudate, along with enhanced granulation and shortened wound length. Among all groups, the 15% concentration demonstrated the most optimal healing effect, suggesting its potential as a promising herbal-based topical therapy for wound management.