An In Vitro Investigation of the Biological Activity of Alim, Melanolepis multiglandulosa, Euphorbiaceae Leaf Crude Extract for Wound Healing

Wounds are a significant issue in the Philippines due to the increasing cases of diabetes, a growing elderly population, and antimicrobial resistance. This situation has led to a high burden of care for infected wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, and burns within local hospitals. Wound healing is a vital physiological process that reestablishes the integrity of damaged tissue after an injury. Alim, M. multiglandulosa leaves, which are not well known for their medicinal benefits, were collected from Bacnotan, La Union, authenticated, dried, and extracted with absolute ethanol, then filtered through rotary evaporation. The crude extracts were investigated for biological activities in vitro. In disc diffusion and resazurin assays against S. aureus, 100% and 75%w/v exhibited antibacterial activity. It also prevented protein denaturation (87.46%w/v) with an IC₅₀ (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) of 2.70 × 10²1 g/mL using the protein denaturation inhibition assay, and it provided 87.71%w/v protection of RBC in 1g/mL using the HRBC (human red blood cell) membrane stabilization technique, signifying anti-inflammatory. In DPPH (1,1- diphenyl-2, picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging, there was 79.05% and 95.88% antioxidant activity at 0.0625 g/mL and 1g/mL, respectively, with an IC₅₀ value of 0.907 mg/mL. A substantial correlation was found between TFC (total flavonoid content, 1.78 mg QUE/g extract) and TPC (total phenolic content, 357.08 mg GAE/g) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay showed values of 9.48 and 12.33 µM FeSO₄/g extract in 200 and 400 µL/mL extract, respectively, indicating good antioxidant activity. Additionally, it contains sterols, triterpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and polyphenols, which are responsible for its biological activities. M. multiglandulosa demonstrated its value as a plant-derived substitute for wound healing. Further studies are needed for isolating bioactive compounds for recommended drug preparation, in vivo evaluation, and efficacy determination in clinical trials.