INVESTIGATION OF WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF SARCOSTEMMA ACIDUM LEAVES OINTMENT IN WISTAR ALBINO RATS

Aim. The present study was aimed at investigating the wound healing effect of aqueous extract of sarcostemma acidium leaves (AESA) using excision wound model. Methods. Wistar albino rats were divided into five groups each consisting of six animals; group I (left untreated) considered as control, group II (ointment base treated) considered as negative control, group III treated with 5% (w/w) povidone iodine ointment, which served as standard, group IV treated with AESA 2% (w/w) ointment, and group V treated with AESA 5% (w/w) ointment were considered as test groups. All the treatments were given once daily. The wound healing effect was assessed by percentage wound contraction, epithelialization period, and histoarchitecture studies in excision wound model. Result. Different concentration of AESA (2% and 5% w/w) ointment promoted wound healing activity significantly in excision wound model. The high rate of wound contraction (P < 0.001), decrease in the period for epithelialization (P < 0.01), was observed in animal treated with AESA ointments when compared to the control and negative control group of animals. Conclusions. aqueous extract of sarcostemma acidium (AESA) leaves possesses a concentration dependent wound healing effect. Keywords: Sarcostemma acidium, Wound healing, Aqueous extract