PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF KYLLINGA POLYPHYLLA IN EXPERIMENTAL RATS

The present study aimed to evaluate the wound healing potential of the methanolic extract of Kyllinga polyphylla whole plant using experimental rat models. The plant material was extracted using the Soxhlet method, yielding 5.60% crude extract. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of bioactive constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, proteins, and triterpenoids. Quantitative analysis showed high total phenolic content (77.8 mg gallic acid equivalents/g) and total flavonoid content (62.5 mg rutin equivalents/g), indicating strong antioxidant potential. The antioxidant activity assessed by the DPPH assay demonstrated moderate free radical scavenging activity, with a maximum inhibition of 60.63% and an IC₅₀ value of 48.68 μg/mL. Herbal gel formulations containing 1% and 2% extract were prepared and evaluated for physicochemical properties, which showed acceptable pH, viscosity, spreadability, and good homogeneity. Skin irritation studies confirmed the safety of the formulations. Antimicrobial evaluation revealed that the 2% gel exhibited the highest activity, with a zone of inhibition of 15 mm. In vivo wound healing activity assessed using the excision wound model demonstrated significant enhancement in wound contraction and reduction in epithelialization time in extract-treated groups compared to the control, with the 2% formulation showing superior efficacy. Overall, the findings suggest that Kyllinga polyphylla possesses promising antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound healing properties, supporting its traditional use and potential development as a natural topical wound healing agent.