Spondias mombin Linn. (Anacardiacea) Essential Oil Ointment Enhances Healing of Excision Wounds in Rats

Abstract

Background- Wound healing remains a challenging clinical problem, and correct, efficient wound management is essential. Various formulations of Spondias mombin Linn. (Anacardiacea) is used in the folk medical therapeutics of Africa due to their anti-inflammatory effects and ethnomedicinal claims. Objective- To evaluate the re-epitheliazation, rapid wound healing and antioxidant activities of Spondias mombin Linn. (Anacardiacea) leaves essential oil (SMEO) through excision in vivo model. Materials and Methods- Thirty-eight male rats weighing 250 ± 20g were used. Random grouping into n=6 rats; Group 1 received 50µL of 1% SMEO, Group 2 received 0.1% of DMSO and Tween 20 (Control), Group 3 received Dermazin® ointment, Group 4 was untreated, Group 5 received 50µL of 10% SMEO, Group 6 received 50µL of 15% SMEO, were treated for 14 days. In vivo wound healing rat model was employed with tissues of two rats harvested per group on the 3rd, 10th and 14th days after excision for histological analysis. The SMEO of (25–100 μg/ml) was passed through DPPH, Nitric oxide, Reducing power assays. Results- The antioxidant assays showed scavenging of species in close comparison with standard in a dose dependent manner. The essential oil showed promising results even at low concentration of 1%. The 10% and 15% wound contraction progression showed efficiency over the standard. Macroscopic observation and Histological analysis revealed a significant wound healing process of the treatment groups compared to the vehicle-treated and unwounded controls, after the 3rd, 7th and 14th day. Conclusion- The essential oil showed ability to initiate re-epithelization, proliferative stimulation of new blood vessels, collagen fiber synthesis and overall improved wound healing better than the standard (Dermazin®), therefore, a possible presentation as lead for drug development.