Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS), a herbal extract used as a hemostatic agent in traditional Turkish medicine, on hemostasis, wound healing, air leakage and the efficiency over pleural adhesions in rabbits with pulmonary parenchymal damage.

Methods: Sixteen New Zelland Albino type male and female rabbits with a mean weight of 2500 g were used. The rabbits were divided into two groups as study group and control group. One rabbit in each group died during anesthesia. We performed wedge resections in equal size to the left lower lobes of all rabbits. No additional procedure was performed on the control group, while the study group received 5 puffs (~1 cc) of ABS to the resection area. Tube thoracostomy, which was performed in both groups, was terminated postoperatively at the sixth hours after drainage and air leakage follow-up. The rabbits were sacrificed with high dose anesthetic at the postoperative eight-day. Pleural inflammation and fibrosis in the hemithorax were examined macroscopically and microscopically. Biochemical measurements of tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyprolin (HPR) levels were done.

Results: There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative air leakage and the amount of drainage between the groups (amount of hemorrhage p<0.05, air leakage p<0.001). A higher rate of macroscopic and microscopic fibrosis was observed in the study group. When both groups are compared according to tissue MDA levels, decreased MDA level was seen in the group which ABS was administered, where the difference was statistically non-significant.

Conclusion: Ankaferd Blood Stopper reduces postoperative bleeding and prolonged air leakages without any toxic effects and has an effective role at pleurodesis, increasing the pleural fibrosis level.

Keywords : Ankaferd; pleurodesis; postoperative complication