Evaluation of Wound Healing Activity of 80% Methanol Leaf Extract of Discopodium penninervium Hochst (Solanaceae) in Mice
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Date
2019-03
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Discopodium penninervum is among the Ethiopian medicinal plants claimed for wound healing
activity. However, to date, there is no scientific report on evaluation of its wound healing
activity. Thus, this work was initiated to investigate wound healing activity of 80 % methanol
leaf extract of D.penninervum in mice.
Acute oral and dermal toxicity test was studied by observing sign of toxicity for oral and dermal
toxicity. Wound healing activity was investigated using excision and incision wound models by
topical application of 5% and 10% (w/w) ointments of 80% methanol leaf extract of the
plant.Parameters such as wound contraction and period of epithelialization were determined from
excision wound model, whiletensile strengthwas evaluated fromincision wound model.In
addition,anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant activity studies of the extract were also
performed.Carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model was usedfor anti-inflammatory study at
a concentration of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg. Antibacterial activity of the extract was examined
using agar well diffusion technique against several common bacterial strains for wound
infection. For antioxidant activity test, DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical
scavenging assay was used. In parallel, total flavonoid content of the extract was determined by
using aluminum-chloride colorimetric method.
The extract and formulated ointments were found to be safe in oral and dermal toxicity studies,
respectively. Both 5% and 10% (w/w) ointments exhibited significant (p< 0.001) increase in
wound contraction and shorter epithelialization periodin excision wound model and, increased
tensile strength in incision wound model. Plant extract also showed significant (p<0.001) antiinflammatory,
antibacterial and antioxidant activities, which could indicate the possible
mechanism(s) of wound healing.The crude extract showed antibacterial activity against both
gram positive and gram negative bacteria with MIC index of 2. Radical scavenging potential
against DPPH free radicals was found to be effective with IC50 value of 2.77mg/ml. In addition,
II
quantification of total flavonoid content revealed the presence of 43.03mg quercetin equivalent
flavonoids in the crude extract.
The findingscollectively indicate that traditional use of the plant for wound treatment has a
scientific basis. Flavonoids alone or in concert with other phytoconstituents through antiinflammatory,
antibacterial and antioxidant action could be responsible for wound healing.
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Keywords
Discopodium penninervum,Wound healing, Excision model, Incision model, Antiinflammatory, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Total flavonoid content.