ANTIOXIDANT, ANTIMICROBIAL AND WOUND HEALING POTENTIAL OF MACARANGA PELTATA BARK EXTRACTS

Minakshi Nehete and Pratima Tatke*

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the wound healing activity of bark of Macaranga peltata in excision and incision wound models in rats. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were studied to understand mechanism of wound healing process. Total phenolic content (TPC) was estimated to screen the prepared extracts by using Folin-Ciocalteu phenol reagent method. Methanol extract showing highest TPC was undertaken for detailed antioxidant, antimicrobial and wound healing activities. Methanol extract showed moderate antioxidant activity on scavenging DPPH, ABTS radicals and by pyrogallol red bleaching method with the determined IC50 values of 85.67±1.85, 49.10±2.07 and 336.50±5.74 ug/ml respectively. Methanol extract also showed antimicrobial activity against wound pathogens by cup plate method. The wound healing activity was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, period of epithelialization and skin-breaking strength. In excision wound model, the gel containing methanolic extract of Macaranga peltata bark treated group exhibited 96.05±4.14% reduction in wound area on 20th day when compared to control group animals which was 89.61±2.66%. Additionally, epithelialization period of animals treated with gel containing methanolic extract was found to be lower (22.67±4.08) when compared to control group animals (25±1.67). In incision wound model, breaking strength of animals treated with the gel containing methanolic extract of Macaranga peltata bark was found to be significantly (p < 0.001) higher (508.17±8.64) as compared to the control group animals (406.50±9.16). The present study revealed that gel containing methanol extract of Macaranga peltata posses wound healing activity.

Keywords: Incision wound, Excision wound, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial activity.