The traditional Hungarian medicinal plant Centaurea sadleriana Janka accelerates wound healing in rats

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance The aerial parts of Centaurea sadleriana Janka, a species native to Hungary, have been used for the healing of wounds of livestock in Hungarian folk medicine. This is the first report of the ethnomedicinal use of this plant. Aim of the study This study was aimed at investigating the wound-healing efficiency of different extracts of Centaurea sadleriana. Materials and methods Experimental wounds inflicted on healthy rats by means of a branding iron were treated topically with different extracts and fractions of extracts of the aerial parts of Centaurea sadleriana. To assess the effectiveness of treatment, an absolute control (no treatment), a vehicle control (Carbomer gel) and a positive control group (1% salicylic acid in Carbomer gel) were applied. Results The n-hexane fraction of the methanol extract significantly accelerated the wound-healing process. This effect was rather similar to that of the positive control gel. Other fractions exhibited more moderate activities. Conclusions The apolar fraction of the methanol extract of Centaurea sadleriana facilitated wound healing significantly, corroborating the folk medicinal use of this plant.