Abstract

Evaluation of Wound Healing Activity of Naravelia Zeylanica Leaves

Author(s): Ashoka Shenoy M., Sridevi G. and C. S. Shastry

Present study is about the wound healing activity of ethanol and aqueous extracts of N. zeylanica leaves in wistar rats. Three wound models viz incision, excision and dead space wound were used in this study. The biophysical parameters studied were breaking strength in case of incision wounds and granulation tissue dry weight, breaking strength and hydroxyproline content in dead space wound model. In excision wound model, rate of contraction and number of days for epithelialization and also the granulation tissue formed on day 4, 8 and 12 were used to estimate some biochemical parameters like protein, DNA, collagen and lipid peroxides. For tropical application, 2% w/w sodium alginate ointment was used with 5% of aqueous and ethanol extracts. For oral administration, 1% gum tragacanth suspension with 250 mg/mL of extract was used. In excision and incision wound models, the control groups of animals were left untreated and in dead space wound model, the animals were treated with 1 mL of 1% gum tragacanth per Kg, body weight orally. Aqueous and ethanol leaf extracts induced significant wound-healing activity against all the wound models studied. High rate of wound contraction, decrease in the period for epithelialisation, high skin breaking strength and granulation strength, increase in dry granulation tissue weight were observed in treated animals when compared to the control group of animals. There was significant increase in hydroxyproline, protein, collagen contents and decrease in lipid peroxide level in treated animals. Results of the study confirmed the prominent wound healing activity of the test extracts. Ethanol extract of N. zeylanica possesses better wound healing property compared to the aqueous extract.