Abstract
The petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, and aqueous extracts of Heliotropium indicum Linn. (Family: Boraginaceae) were separately evaluated for their wound healing activity in rats using excision (normal and infected), incision, and dead space wound models. The effects of test samples on the rate of wound healing were assessed by the rate of wound closure, period of epithelialisation, wound breaking strength, weights of the granulation tissue, determination of hydroxyproline, super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and histopathology of the granulation tissues. Nitrofurazone (0.2% w/w) in simple ointment I. P. was used as reference standard for the activity comparison. The results revealed significant promotion of wound healing with both methanol and aqueous extracts with more promising activity with the methanol extract compared to other extracts under study. In the wound infection model (with S. aureus and P. aeruginosa), the methanol extract showed significant healing activity similar to the reference standard nitrofurazone. Significant increase in the granulation tissue weight, increased hydroxyproline content, and increased activity of SOD and catalase level with the animals treated with methanol extract in dead space wound model further augmented the wound healing potential of H. indicum. The present work substantiates its validity of the folklore use.
Highlights
Wound healing is the process of repair that follows injury to the skin and other soft tissues
The effects of test samples on the rate of wound healing were assessed by the rate of wound closure, period of epithelialisation, wound breaking strength, weights of the granulation tissue, determination of hydroxyproline, super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and histopathology of the granulation tissue
The results of the present study revealed that animals treated with methanol and aqueous extracts of H. indicum showed faster rate of epithelialization in excision wound model compared to other extracts under study
Summary
Wound healing is the process of repair that follows injury to the skin and other soft tissues. It involves a complex series of interactions between different cell types, cytokine mediators, and the extracellular matrix. Several medicinal plants have been used since time immemorial for treatment of cuts, wounds, and burns and showed promising effects. Some very common plants like Aloe vera, Azadirachta indica, Carica papaya, Celosia argentea, Centella asiatica, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Curcuma longa, Nelumbo nucifera, Ocimum sanctum, Phyllanthus emblica, Plumbago zeylanica, Pterocarpus santalinus, Terminalia arjuna, and Terminalia chebula have been extensively reported in Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems of medicines for their wound healing potential [1]. The various tribes of Phulbani district of Odisha use the leaf paste over fresh cuts and wounds and claim for its promising activity
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