Kaempferia galanga cream accelerates wound healing through modulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 in an excision wound model

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BSTRACT

Traditionally used to treat inflammatory diseases, Kaempferia galanga L. includes bioactive substances with anti-inflammatory properties, such as eugenol and ethyl p-methoxycinnamate. Its potential as a topical treatment for wound healing is yet unclear, though. This study aims to assess the ability of K . galanga cream (KGC) in accelerating wound healing and to observe its effects on excisional wound models based on plasma levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Six groups ( n = 5) were created from thirty male Wistar rats. After creating a 1.5-cm full-thickness wound on the dorsal side, without treatment as a control, a base cream as a negative control, 10% povidone–iodine cream as a positive control, or KGC (5%, 10%, or 15%) was applied topically every day for 14 days. On days 7 and 14, the ImageJ software was used to quantify the wound area. Plasma TNF-α and IL-10 levels were measured on day 15 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and statistical evaluation was conducted via one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s post hoc test. KGC markedly improved wound healing versus the negative control. The 10% formulation produced the greatest effect, reducing wound area by 65.3% on day 14 ( P < 0.001). It also markedly decreased TNF-α levels by 38.7% ( P < 0.001) and increased IL-10 levels by 42.5% ( P < 0.001) compared with the negative control. The 10% KGC demonstrated the most effective wound healing activity, likely through modulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. These findings support its potential as a topical herbal formulation for wound management.