Ethnopharmacological communication
Wound healing activity of Calotropis gigantea root bark in rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2009.06.007Get rights and content

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Calotropis gigantea R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae) is a perennial undershrub found chiefly in wastelands throughout India. It has been reported as a traditional folkloric medicine for a variety of alignments. The plant Calotropis gigantea is also used in some parts of India for wound healing in combination with other plants. However there are no scientific reports on wound healing activity of the plant Calotropis gigantea R.Br.

Aim of the study

To investigate the effects of Calotropis gigantea root bark on wound healing activity in rats by excision, incision and dead space wound healing models in rats.

Methodology

Wistar albino rats of either sex weighing between 180 and 200 g were topically treated with extract formulated in ointment by using simple ointment BP as base. 5% (w/w) ointment was applied once daily in excision wound model. Calotropis gigantea ethanolic extract was given orally at a dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg in incision and dead space wound healing models. Rats of standard groups were treated with 5% Povidone iodine ointment topically. The percentage wound closure, epithelization time, hydroxyproline content and scar area on complete epithelization were measured.

Results

Topical application of Calotropis gigantea in excision wound model increased the percentage of wound contraction. Scar area and epithelization time were decreased. In incision wound and dead space wound breaking strength of wounds and hydroxyproline was increased.

Conclusion

Calotropis gigantea accelerated wound healing in rats and thus supports its traditional use.

Introduction

Calotropis gigantea R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae) commonly known as milkweed or swallowwort is a common wasteland weed in India. Traditionally Calotropis gigantea is used alone or with other medicinal plants to treat common diseases such as fevers, rheumatism, indigestion, elephantiasis, asthma, diarrhoea, or as an analgesic (Kirtikar and Basu, 1975). The plant is reported to possess free radical scavenging (Mueen Ahmed et al., 2003) and anti-diarrhoeal activity (Chitme et al., 2004). The plant (the juice of the young buds) cures toothache and earache (Allen, 1994, Aminuddin Girach, 2001), and is reported to reduce swelling and inflammation in sprain (Manandhar, 1990), is reported to be used in anxiety and pain (Boericke, 2001, Sharma, 2001), in epilepsy (Jain et al., 2001) and in mental disorders (Upadhyaya et al., 1994). Flavonoids (Chopra et al., 1956, Singh and Rastogi, 1972), triterpenoids (Pal and Sinha, 1980), volatile long chain fatty acids (Sen et al., 1992), glycosides and proteases (Kitagawa et al., 1992) have been isolated from the various parts of the plant Calotropis gigantea. It is also used in some parts of India in wound healing in combination with other plants (Biswas and Mukherjee, 2003). The present study was carried out to determine effect of ethanolic extract of Calotropis gigantea root bark on wound healing activity in rats by excision, incision and dead space wound healing models in rats.

Section snippets

Plant material

Root bark of the plant Calotropis gigantea was collected from Mangalore, Karnataka, India during April 2006 and was authenticated by Dr. Neoline J. Pinto, Professor and Head of Department of Botany, St. Agnes College, Mangalore, Karnataka. A voucher specimen was deposited in NGSM Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Preparation of the extract

Root bark of the plant was dried in shade. The dried roots bark was powdered (3 kg), defatted with petroleum ether (60–80 °C), and soaked in ethanol (95%) and kept aside for 4 days.

The preliminary phytochemical analysis

The preliminary phytochemical analysis of the Calotropis gigantea root bark extract showed the presence of tannins, triterpenoids, and alkaloids.

Acute toxicity studies

The alcoholic extract of root bark of plant Calotropis gigantea was found to be safe up to 2000 mg/kg body wt. by oral route. After 24 h animals were found well tolerated. There was no mortality and no signs of toxicity and extract were found to be safe.

Excision wound model

Topical application of Calotropis gigantea increased the percentage of wound contraction and completed

Discussion and conclusion

Wound healing process consists of different phases such as granulation, collagenization, collagen maturation and scar maturation which are concurrent but independent to each other. Hence in this study three different models were used to assess the effect of alcoholic Calotropis gigantea extracts on various phases.

The result of the present study showed that Calotropis gigantea possesses a definite prohealing action. In excision wound healing model the alcoholic extract of the root bark of the

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