Evaluation of the Wound Healing Potential of Trichodesma zeylanicum (Burm. f.) Formulation in Excision Wounds in Albino Rats

Aim: The study aimed at evaluating in vivo wound healing effect of herbal ointment formulated with 15% w/w Trichodesma zeylanicumm methanolic root extract, plant commonly used as traditional medicine.
Methodology: The wound healing potential of T. zeylanicumm was assessed using excision wound model and various biochemical parameters; L-hydroxyl, Hexose amine, Malondialdehyde and Ascorbic acid. Treatments were administered daily topically to three groups of albino rats: Ointment base only, 15% w/w T. zeylanicumm methanolic ointment and Neosporin ointment for 20 days.
Results: The results showed wound closure was slow in albino rats treated with 15% w/w T. zeylanicummmethanolic extract ointment but increased gradually to 76.95% on day 17, while there was steady increase for Neosporin ointment treated group (from 36.01% on day 5 to 92.89% on day 17). Wound contraction ability of the herbal ointment was significantly greater p<0.01 on 13th day. The Neosporin ointment treated group had short epithelialization time (19.33±1.53) compared to herbal ointment treated group (21.33±3.06). The levels of mucopolysacharide content in the herbal ointment treated group were significantly decreasing P<0.05(from 2.03±0.11 to 1.17±0.13 on 4th to 12th day respectively), while collagen content levels were significantly increasing PË‚0.05 in the herbal ointment treated group (2.59±0.10 and 2.63±0.1 on 8th and 12th day). However, the levels of mucopolysacharide and collagen contents were significantly higher in the Neosporin ointment than in the herbal ointment treated group. For the blood plasma samples, the malondialdehyde levels were significantly much higher in the herbal ointment treated group (1.74±0.13) compared to Neosporin ointment treated group (1.55±0.08). The ascorbic content levels were significantly higher in the Neosporin ointment sample (0.92±0.26) compared to herbal ointment treated group (0.64±0.14).
Conclusion: The results showed that T. zeylanicumm methanolic root extract has wound healing potential; however, further clinical and toxicological experimentation is needed to scientifically validate its use as a topical ointment.