To Investigate the Wound-Healing Activity of a Combination of Neosporin, Lavender Extract, and Vitamin E in a Topical Ointment using Wistar Albino Rats

ABSTRACT Background Wound healing is a multistage process frequently impeded by microbial contamination, oxidative stress, and prolonged inflammation. Neosporin® provides broad-spectrum antibacterial coverage, while lavender extract and vitamin E possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Combining these agents in a topical cream may yield synergistic benefits for tissue repair. Methods Full-thickness excision wounds were created on the dorsal surface of Wistar albino rats under aseptic conditions. Animals were randomized into four groups: (i) Control (untreated), (ii) Standard (marketed formulation), (iii) Group 1 (Neosporin alone), and (iv) Group 2 (combination cream: Neosporin + lavender extract + vitamin E) prepared in a vanishing-cream base. Treatments were applied topically at defined intervals until closure. Outcomes included (a) percentage wound contraction (planimetry), (b) epithelialization period (days to eschar fall without raw area), and (c) histopathology (H&E, collagen deposition/fiber maturity, re-epithelialization, inflammatory infiltrate). Results Compared with the Control and Neosporin-alone groups, the combination cream accelerated wound contraction and reduced epithelialization time. Histology demonstrated thicker, more organized collagen bundles, improved re-epithelialization, and fewer inflammatory cells in treated wounds, with the combination group showing the most pronounced effects. The Standard group improved healing versus Control, but was outperformed by the combination cream. Key Findings · A Neosporin–lavender–vitamin E cream enhanced closure kinetics and tissue quality versus single-agent Neosporin and untreated control. · Benefits likely arise from complementary antibacterial (infection control), antioxidant (ROS reduction), and anti-inflammatory (resolution of inflammation) actions. · Histopathology corroborated functional endpoints with superior collagen maturation and epithelial continuity. Conclusion A vanishing-base cream combining Neosporin, lavender extract, and vitamin E promotes faster and higher-quality excision-wound healing in Wistar rats than control and single-agent treatment. This formulation is a promising, synergistic approach that warrants dose-optimization and clinical translation studies.