Microbiological studies in the development of wound healing ointment

Aim. To select the concentration of fennel essential oil as an antimicrobial component and amaranth oil as an antioxidant component in the composition of a wound healing ointment for the wound therapy in the second and third phases of the wound process. Materials and methods. The study objects were model samples of the ointment with the lipophilic extract of marigold, amaranth oil and fennel essential oil. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of the model samples of the ointment was determined in experiments in vitro by the agar diffusion method. The study of antioxidant properties was performed by biotesting on the biological model of Paramecium caudatum infusoria grown in the Lozin-Lozinsky nutrient medium at a temperature of 20-26 °С. The results were statistically processed using the Excel for Windows software. Results and discussion. The results of the studies conducted showed the presence of the antimicrobial action of varying degrees for all ointment samples with different concentrations of fennel essential oil. There was a slow increase in the antimicrobial activity of ointments with an increase in the concentration of fennel essential oil. The promising concentrations of fennel essential oil providing the maximum antimicrobial effect in the composition of the wound healing ointment were 1.5 % and 2.0 %. Taking into account a slight difference in the growth retardation zones and the requirements of safety and cost-effectiveness 1.5 % concentration of fennel essential oil was chosen for further research. Exposure of the experimental samples with different concentrations of amaranth oil led to a prolongation of the period of activity of infusoria under the influence of poisons compared to the control, indicating the presence of a high level of antioxidant activity. Conclusions. Based on the microbiological studies and biotesting, the concentration of antimicrobial and antioxidant components (fennel essential oil – 1.5 %, amaranth oil – 8 %) has been substantiated when developing a wound healing ointment for the therapy in the second and third phases of the wound process.