Studies on Wound Healing and Antiulcer Activities of Extract of Aerial Parts of Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae)

P.A Akah,S.O Udegbunam,T.C Okoye,A.C Ezike,E Ugwu,T.P Mbanu,C.O Okoli

doi:10.3844/ajptsp.2009.118.126

Abstract

Problem statement: Phyllanthus niruri is widely used in many parts of the world to manage a wide range of diseases. As part of efforts to elucidate its pharmacological activities and hence medicinal potential, we studied the wound healing and antiulcer properties of extract of the aerial parts using experimentally-created wounds and ulcers in rodents. Approach: Wound healing effect was assessed using excision and dead space wound models while antiulcer activity was evaluated using indomethacin-, ethanol acid- and cold-restraint stress-induced ulcer models. Results: The extract (5,10%) significantly (p<0.05) reduced the wound diameter producing 90.9 and 93.7% wound contraction respectively on day 18 post wounding. It also reduced epithelialization time of excised wounds and increased the rate of wound closure, with WC50 of 8.7%. The extract (400 mg kg-1) also significantly (p<0.05) increased the weight of granuloma tissue. In antiulcer studies, the extract significantly (p<0.05) inhibited the development of ulcers induced by indomethacin and moderately inhibited ethanol acid-induced ulcer. It was, however, devoid of any such effect in cold-restraint stress-induced lesions at the doses used. Phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, reducing sugar, carbohydrates and glycosides. Conclusion: These findings indicate that constituents of aerial parts of P. niruri possess wound healing and antiulcer properties.

Highlights

Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae) is an annual and field weed widespread in temperate and tropical climates[1]
In continuation of efforts to elucidate the pharmacological activities and medicinal potential of this plant, we studied the wound healing and antiulcer properties of extract of the aerial parts using experimentally created wounds and ulcers in rodents
The WC50 values showed that methanol extract (ME) (10%) produced a better wound closure rate (8.7 days) than cicatrin (9.0 days) (Fig. 1)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae) is an annual and field weed widespread in temperate and tropical climates[1]. Studies on extracts from various parts of the plant have revealed the antioxidant[10] and nitric oxide scavenging[11], antimalarial (antiplasmodial)[12,13,14,15,16,17], antihyperuricemic[18], analgesic[19,20], diuretic, hypotensive, hypoglycemic[21], hepatoprotective[4,22,23,24,25,26,27], hepatocurative[10], hypolipemic[28], nematicidal[29], platelet aggregation inhibitory[30], nephrolithiatic[31], HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory[23], HIV replication inhibitory[33], HIV/RRE binding inhibitory[34], urolithiatic[35,36,37,38,39,40] and vasorelaxant[1]. In continuation of efforts to elucidate the pharmacological activities and medicinal potential of this plant, we studied the wound healing and antiulcer properties of extract of the aerial parts using experimentally created wounds and ulcers in rodents

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION