Effect of St.John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) oily extract for the care and treatment of pressure sores; a case report

Ethnopharmacological relevance Topical formulations such as oily extracts or ointments prepared with the flowering aerial parts of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L., Hypericaceae) have been used in the management of a wide range dermatological problems including superficial wounds and burns, bruises, contusions and many others in the worldwide traditional medicines. Aim of the study This is the first case study reporting the beneficial effects of an oily extract of St. John's wort in the treatment of pressure sores in a intensive care unit (ICU) patient. Material and methods The oily extract of St. John's wort was applied to a volunteer patient at ICU daily for forty successive days for wound care and treatment. Healing status was monitored macroscopically by measuring the wound size and stages at certain intervals as well as histopathological evaluation of the tissue sections taken at the initial and final dates of treatment. Results Evaluation of the results obtained from the macroscopical and histopathological experimentation have shown that oily extract of St. John's wort provided significant efficacy for the treatment of pressure sore wounds. Conclusion St. John's wort oily extract may be suggested as a cost-effective option for the prevention or treatment of pressure sores in ICU patients.