Hydroalcoholic Extract from Copaifera Langsdorffii Has Skin Wound Healing Activity in Rats

Abstract

The loss of skin integrity causes wounds, and in response, the organism promotes the healing process, which is divided into three phases: inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling. Several plant species have been tested in healing experimental wounds due to popular application. Among the species used in skin wound healing related in popular knowledge is Copaifera langsdorffii. By this way, we aim to analyze wound healing changes in rats with skin lesions after treatment with hydroalcoholic extract from Copaifera langsdorffii leaves. Male Wistar rats were submitted to excisional injury with a 2 cm diameter in the dorsal region. They were divided into groups (n=6) with daily treatments of hydroalcoholic extract at 1; 5 and 10% concentrations or a negative control (saline) during 3, 7 and 21 days. The lesions were analyzed and measured daily. Blood was collected for toxicity analysis, and dorsal lesions were collected for histological analysis and measurements of cellularity in normal skin, border and center of the lesion. The toxicity data did not show any significant differences between the groups. Microscopic analysis showed an increase in total cell number at the edges of the extract treated groups after 3 days. Macroscopically, the groups treated with 5% and 10% extract demonstrated better wound retraction compared with saline treatment. In summary, the groups treated with hydroalcoholic extract of Copaifera langsdorffii showed the efficacy of the plant as treatment of skin wound healing.