Oleaster (Senjed) (Elaeagnus angustifolia), is a small tree from the family Elaeagnaceae, which grows widely in different parts of Iran. Using the smashed leave of the tree combined with olive oil is proposed in one of the famous ancient Iranian text as a good remedy for wound healing. Here this remedy is evaluated experimentally.

The study was carried out on 16 female three-month-old Spragne dawly albino rats in the same conditions. An area of 2×2 cm on each side of the lumbar region of the animals was surgically prepared. Under general anesthesia, a skin wound was created on each side with a 6 mm skin punch (total of 32 wounds). Each side of the animals was used to evaluate a remedy (group 1 to 4). To make the mixture, 50 grams of fresh oleaster leaves was smashed with a pestle and mixed with 25 grams of olive oil. The wounds were treated for 7 days as follow: The wounds of group 1 to 3 were rinsed daily by normal saline, after which, in group 1 the mixture and in group 2, only the olive oil was applied on wounds. In group 4, no treatment was applied. The wounds were left open. On day 8, the animals were sacrificed and the wound region was excised and sent for histopathologic study (H & E staining).

In group one all wounds showed mild granulation tissue and scab formation, and complete re-epithelialization. In group two there were mild granulation tissue, massive scab formation and minimal re-epithelialization. In group 3 and 4 mild granulation tissue, severe scab formation and very limited re-epithelialization were observed.

It can be concluded that the mixture can be considered as an effective remedy for skin wound healing.