# The Effects of _Anthyllis vulneraria_ Hydroalcoholic Leaf Extract as an Adjuvant in Wound Healing
## 1 Introduction
Consequently, the identification of more effective and cost-efficient therapeutic options for burn treatment remains a priority. In this context, the search for alternatives to synthetic active compounds has increasingly focused on bioactive substances derived from the plant kingdom [1,14]. Among these, polyphenols represent promising candidates due to theirpotential to offer sustainable, health-promoting therapies and to serve as valuable adjuvants or alternatives to conventional treatments. _Anthylilis vulneraria (A. vulneraria)_ is a herbaceous plant from the Fabaceae family found throughout the Mediterranean basin and most of Europe [15,16]. Its name can be translated as: _Anthylilis_ from the Greek words \"Anthos\"+\"ioulos\", meaning \"down infloresence\", describing the orientation of the calyx, and \"_vulneraria_\" from the Latin \"vulnerus\", meaning wound, describing the plant's healing properties [17]. Traditionally, _A. vulneraria_ has been employed to treat skin injuries, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and acne [2,16]. The flowers of _A. vulneraria_ have been most used, followed by the aerial parts and leaves. The plant has been administered in various forms, such as ointments, hot infusions, and freshly pressed juice, and is also applied directly to wounds by bathing, rinsing, or as dressings [18]. Due to its ease of cultivation and adaptability across a wide range of habitats, _A. vulneraria_ holds promise as a viable candidate for medico-pharmaceutical use, based on the scientific validation of its therapeutic efficacy [2,19]. Several previous studies have investigated the phytochemical composition of _A. vulneraria_ extracts, reporting high concentrations of flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and carotenoids, bioactive compounds known for their significant antioxidant activity [2,15,16,17,20,21,22]. Additionally, antimicrobial and antiviral properties have been documented [17,20,23], along with in vitro wound-healing effects demonstrated in cell culture models [20,24]. These findings support the therapeutic potential of _A. vulneraria_ in wound care and underscore the need for further validation through in vivo studies. Morphologically, the species forms basal leaf rosettes, while its infloresences consist of compact flowerheads containing between four and over twenty individual flowers [24]. _A. vulneraria_ typically begins flowering in its second year of growth, although it may be delayed for up to eight years under certain ecological conditions, which limit the timely availability of floral biomass [25]. Moreover, most plants are monocarpic; however, some of them may produce flowers more than once [24]. Therefore, the traditional use of leaves, together with the plant's flowering cycle, makes the leaf material more favorable for use. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the wound-healing potential of an _A. vulneraria_ leaf extract using a rat burn model, by quantifying wound surface area reduction, assessing histopathological changes, and analyzing oxidative stress markers and IL-8 levels in both serum and skin tissue. In parallel, the phytochemical composition of the leaf extract was characterized and a topical cream formulation was developed for use in in vivo experiments.