An interventional study of Topical St. John's Wort oil application in Effect of Postoperative Topical St. John's Wort Oil (Hypericum Perforatum) on Periorbital Edema and Ecchymosis Following Rhinoplasty, sponsored by Inonu University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-04.
Sponsored by Inonu University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
Rhinoplasty is one of the most frequently performed procedures in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, with steadily increasing demand worldwide. Periorbital ecchymosis and edema are common early postoperative complications, primarily resulting from soft tissue hemorrhage during osteotomy. Although these findings are considered part of the natural postoperative course, they may negatively affect patient comfort and satisfaction, particularly in young individuals with high aesthetic expectations. St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous, and antispasmodic properties. This study aims to evaluate the effect of topical St. John's Wort oil on postoperative periorbital edema and ecchymosis in patients undergoing rhinoplasty.
Methods
This randomized controlled experimental study will be conducted in a university hospital setting. The study population will consist of patients scheduled for rhinoplasty, and the sample will include those who provide informed consent. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 55) or the control group (n = 55). In addition to routine postoperative care, the experimental group will receive topical St. John's Wort oil application, while the control group will receive routine care alone. Data will be collected using a Personal Information Form, the Upper and Lower Eyelid Ecchymosis Assessment Scale, and the Eyelid Edema Assessment Scale. Assessments will be performed on postoperative Day 0, Day 1 (24 hours), Day 3 (72 hours), and Day 7 (168 hours). Statistical analyses will be conducted using SPSS version 25. Data distribution will be assessed for normality, and appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests will be applied. Statistical significance will be set at p \< 0.05.
Results
It is anticipated that patients receiving topical St. John's Wort oil will demonstrate significantly lower periorbital edema and ecchymosis scores compared to the control group during the early postoperative period.
Conclusion
Given the role of soft tissue hemorrhage in the development of postoperative ecchymosis and edema, and considering the documented pharmacological properties of St. John's Wort, topical application may represent a safe and effective adjunctive intervention for reducing periorbital complications following rhinoplasty. Further clinical evidence may support its integration into routine postoperative care protocols.
Aim of the Study
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of St. John's Wort oil (Hypericum perforatum) on postoperative periorbital edema and ecchymosis in patients undergoing rhinoplasty.
Hypotheses
H0a (Null Hypothesis):
St. John's Wort oil (Hypericum perforatum) has no effect on postoperative periorbital edema following rhinoplasty.
H1a (Alternative Hypothesis):
St. John's Wort oil (Hypericum perforatum) has a significant effect on postoperative periorbital edema following rhinoplasty.
H0b (Null Hypothesis):
St. John's Wort oil (Hypericum perforatum) has no effect on postoperative periorbital ecchymosis following rhinoplasty.
H1b (Alternative Hypothesis):
St. John's Wort oil (Hypericum perforatum) has a significant effect on postoperative periorbital ecchymosis following rhinoplasty.
38 studies on the registry are indexed under Ecchymosis; 6 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 110 is above the median of 66 across 34 interventional studies indexed under Ecchymosis.
Browse Ecchymosis studies →Inonu University is the lead sponsor of 394 studies on the registry; 95 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Undergoing surgery with the same surgical technique. No communication difficulties. No psychiatric diagnoses. First-time rhinoplasty patients.
Exclusion Criteria:
Using anticoagulant therapy. Having hematological disorders. Having fibrinolytic disorders. Using medications metabolized by , CYP2C9, or CYP2C19. Using medications containing oral , antidepressants, or theophylline.
Scheduled for organ transplantation within the next two months.
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
CYP3A is a group of enzymes, mainly CYP3A4, in the liver and gut that break down many medicines. Some medicines, supplements and foods (grapefruit, St John’s wort) slow them down or speed them up, which changes how much of a study drug stays in the body.
Studies list them so they can be avoided or switched; bring a list of everything you take, including supplements.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
CYP3A (CYP3A4) inhibitors and inducers
CYP3A is a group of enzymes, mainly CYP3A4, in the liver and gut that break down many medicines. Some medicines, supplements and foods (grapefruit, St John’s wort) slow them down or speed them up, which changes how much of a study drug stays in the body.
Studies list them so they can be avoided or switched; bring a list of everything you take, including supplements.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients undergoing rhinoplasty will provide verbal and written consent, and the experimental group will undergo a preoperative patch test for St. John's Wort oil (Hypericum perforatum) allergy. Postoperatively, patients will receive routine cold application followed by bilateral topical St. John's Wort oil. On the day of surgery, three applications will be administered at 4-hour intervals, continuing three times daily for seven days at home. Periorbital edema and ecchymosis will be assessed at 1 and 24 hours postoperatively through direct observation, and on Days 3 and 7 via digital photographs. Both the researcher and clinical nurse will independently score each eye using standardized criteria. Data will be analyzed to evaluate the effect of St. John's Wort oil on postoperative periorbital complications.
Other: Topical St. John's Wort oil application
During the preoperative period, patients will be introduced to the study, provided with detailed information, and both verbal and written informed consent will be obtained. After introducing the data collection tools, the researcher will complete the Personal Information Data Form. Postoperatively (considered Day 0), periorbital edema and ecchymosis scores will be recorded at four time points: 1 hour, 24 hours (Day 1), 72 hours (Day 3), and 168 hours (Day 7) using the Upper and Lower Eyelid Ecchymosis Assessment Scale and the Eyelid Edema Assessment Scale.
Considering the beneficial effects of St. John's Wort oil, the study aims to accelerate patients' return to normal daily activities after surgery by more rapidly reducing aesthetic concerns and postoperative complications.
Periorbital edema and ecchymosis score
Periorbital edema and ecchymosis score: A standardized clinical scale used to quantify the severity of swelling (edema) and bruising (ecchymosis) around the upper and lower eyelids following surgery.
Time frame: Within the first week after surgery
Plan to share: Yes — Effect of postoperative topical St. John's Wort oil (Hypericum perforatum) on periorbital edema and ecchymosis following rhinoplasty
Supporting information: Study protocol
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Feb 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.