Wound healing activity of the methanol extracts of Clematis species indigenous to Ethiopia

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the vulnerary activity of the methanol extracts of Clematis longicauda steud ex A. Rich, and Clematis burgensis Engl leaves. Materials and Methods: In vivo wound healing activity of methanol extracts of C. longicauda and C. burgensis were studied using excision wound model, re‑sutured incision wound model, histopathological analysis and anti‑inflammatory activity test. The variables studied were percentage of wound contraction and epithelialisation period in excision wound model; tensile strength in incision wound model; and percentage of acetic‑acid‑induced capillary permeability inhibition in the anti‑inflammatory activity test. The histopathological study qualitatively assessed presence of inflammatory cells, fibroblast proliferation, collagen formation and angiogenesis. Differences between experimental groups were compared by one‑way analysis of variance, followed by Dunnett’s test. P < 0.0001 was considered statistically significant. Results: C. longicauda and C. burgensis extracts treated animals showed significant reduction in wound area and faster rate of epithelialisation, P < 0.0001. Extracts of these plants also demonstrated statistically significant wound breaking strength and inhibition of vascular permeability induced by acetic acid. Histological studies on granulation tissue sections showed formation of collagen bundles in the C. longicauda and C. burgensis extracts treated and standard drug‑treated groups while inflammatory cells were present in control. Conclusion: Methanol extracts of C. longicauda and C. burgensis had comparable wound healing activity to Madecassol, containing 1% of Centalla asiatica extracts. Key words: Anti‑inflammatory activity, Clematis burgensis Engl, Clematis longicauda steud ex A. Rich, wound healing activity