The efficiency of herbal on blood clotting and wound healing of ear notched pigs

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the efficiency of Jatropha podagrica Hook. f., Chromolaena odorata (L.) and Centella asiatica (L.) on the reduction of blood clotting and promoting wound healing in notched piglets. Thirty-four notched piglets aged 2–3 days were selected for applying fresh exudes of J. podagrica Hook. f. to the right ear and povidone iodine to the left ear as a control. In the experiment of C. odorata (L.) and C. asiatica (L.), fifty notched piglets were divided into five groups and 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% each of herbal gel was applied to the right ear and pure gel applied to the left. Bleeding time and wound-healing scores were recorded. When applying fresh exudes of J. podagrica Hook. f., bleeding time was 11.73 seconds while the control group was 35.45 seconds. The groups which applied 30% and 40% of C. odorata (L.) gel stopped bleeding at 28.46 and 43.62 seconds, respectively. 50% of C. asiatica (L.) gels showed a significant reduction of bleeding time (15 seconds) when compared to the control group (34 seconds) (P < 0.01). The wound-healing score using fresh exudes J. podagrica Hook. f. from day 1 to day 3 (2.07, 3.17 and 3.97, respectively) was significantly higher than the control (1.53, 2.34, 3.06, respectively) (P < 0.05). 50% gel C. odorata (L.) showed a higher score of wound healing from day 1 to day 4 (2.0, 2.80, 3.60 and 4.0, respectively) than the control group (1.20, 1.86, 2.84 and 3.74, respectively) (P < 0.05). While, 50% gel C. asiatica (L.) gel showed a higher score from day 2 to day 5 (2.60, 3.44, 4.33 and 4.90, respectively) compared to the control group (1.86, 2.70, 3.60 and 4.60, respectively) (P < 0.01). This experiment indicated that fresh exudes of J. podagrica Hook. f., 50% gel C. asiatica (L.) and 50% gel C. odorata (L.) reduced the time of blood clotting and promoted wound healing. Therefore, these herbals may use as a potential choice for stopping bleeding and inducing wound healing in notched piglets in order to reduce stress and the chance of secondary infection as well as to improve animal welfare.