Evaluating royal jelly as a therapeutic agent for enhancing epithelial thickness in bacterial-induced wound healing

Open wounds provide an entry point for pathogenic microorganisms into the body, making proper wound management essential. A wound is considered healed when re-epithelialization occurs, with epithelial thickness serving as a key indicator of successful closure. Royal jelly, a natural supplement commonly used to boost energy and immunity, has shown potential as a therapeutic agent in wound healing due to its bioactive components, particularly royalactin and 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of royal jelly on epithelial thickness during the proliferative phase of bacterial-induced wound healing through microscopic observation on day 14 post-treatment. Male white rats (200–250 grams, 2–3 months old) were used as subjects. The research involved bacterial culturing and suspension preparation, followed by royal jelly administration and histological assessment of epithelial regeneration. Data were analyzed using SPSS with the Shapiro-Wilk test, One-Way ANOVA, and LSD Post Hoc test. The results showed that 45 mg of royal jelly restored epithelial thickness (43.21 µm) to normal levels in wounds induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Meanwhile, a 30 mg dose produced epithelial thickness (38.05 µm) comparable to that observed in the control group treated with amoxicillin. These findings indicate that higher doses of royal jelly promote greater epithelial regeneration. In conclusion, royal jelly can enhance epithelial tissue formation in infected wounds, as evidenced by increased epithelial thickness in treated groups.