Wound-Healing Efficacy of Daucus carota Bioactive Compounds: Targeting Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Carrot seed essential oil (CSEO) from <i>Daucus carota</i> is rich in sesquiterpenoids and oxygenated sesquiterpenoids known for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. This study evaluated the wound-healing potential of chemically validated CSEO in albino rats and examined its effects on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. <b>Methods</b>: CSEO was chemically characterized using GC-MS with retention-index validation. Eighteen constituents (>1% peak area) were identified. An excision wound model in albino rats was used to assess wound closure, physiological parameters, inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α), antioxidant status (SOD, GSH, ROS, MDA), and histological markers of tissue repair. Apoptosis was evaluated through caspase-3 immunohistochemistry to determine its role in tissue remodeling. <b>Results</b>: CSEO exhibited an oxygenated sesquiterpene-rich chemotype with oxygenated sesquiterpenes (~36%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (~29%) as major groups. In vivo, CSEO significantly accelerated wound closure, achieving closure on Day 16 (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and complete closure by Day 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.001), compared with the Reference and Control groups. CSEO significantly improved body weight from Day 4 to Day 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and showed consistently higher feed intake (<i>p</i> < 0.001) relative to other groups. Inflammatory markers were markedly reduced, with TNF-α and IL-1β significantly lower than in the Control group (<i>p</i> < 0.001). CD68 levels were also significantly decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.001). CSEO significantly lowered ROS and MDA (<i>p</i> < 0.001) while enhancing GSH and SOD levels (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Caspase-3 IHC revealed restored physiological apoptotic activity, supporting regulated tissue remodeling. <b>Conclusions</b>: CSEO modulates inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis to promote efficient wound healing, supporting its relevance as a promising therapeutic candidate for wound management.