Screening of Alstonia scholaris Linn. R. Br., for wound healing activity

Abstract

Alstonia scholaris (Family: Apocynaceae) has been indicated for the treatment of various diseases, one among which is wound healing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the wound healing effect and antioxidant role of Alstonia scholaris leaves in animal models. The ethanol and aqueous extracts of Alstonia scholaris (EEAS, AEAS respectively) were tested against excision, incision and dead space wound models to evaluate the wound healing activity. In excision wound model, treatment was continued till the complete healing of wound, in incision and dead space wound models, the treatment was continued for 10 days. For topical application, 5% w/w ointment of EEAS and AEAS were prepared in 2% sodium alginate. For oral administration, EEAS was suspended in distilled water using Tween 80 and AEAS was dissolved in distilled water. The wound healing was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, period of epithelialisation, skin breaking strength, granulation strength, dry granulation tissue weight, hydroxyproline, collagen and histopathology of granulation tissue. Malondialdehyde level was also estimated to evaluate the extent of lipid peroxidation. AEAS and EEAS significantly promoted wound healing activity in all the wound models studied. Increase in the rate of wound contraction, skin breaking strength, granulation strength, dry granulation tissue weight, hydroxyproline and collagen, decrease in the period for epithelialisation and increased collagenation in histopathological section were observed with EEAS and AEAS treated groups. EEAS and AEAS also significantly decreased the levels of lipid peroxidation. The present study is suggestive that EEAS and AEAS promote wound healing activity.