Evaluation of wound healing effect of herbal lotion in albino rats and its antibacterial activities

This particular study emphasis on the in vivo wound healing and in vitro antibacterial activity of herbal lotions preparated from Ethanolic extract of Justicia tranquebariensis, Aloe vera and Curcuma longa.

Each plant powder (10 g) was soaked in 30 ml of ethanol in a sterile bottle for 48 h at 4 °C. Herbal lotion formulation I (10%) and II (20%) was prepared. Antibacterial activity by Agar Well diffusion method for three medicinal plant lotions was tested against skin and wound pathogens, like Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The excision wound model was employed for wound healing activity in albino rats. Healthy albino rats (150-200 g) of either sex were taken for excision wound model. Animals were divided into four groups of six animals in each. The Group 1 is control. The Groups 2 and 3 animals were treated with 10% and 20% ointment of herbal lotion and Group 4 animals were treated with Soframycin that served as standard. All animals had free access to pelleted food and water. Temperature was maintained at 23 ± 1 °C. The results were expressed as mean ± SEM. Further sample tissues were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, processed and blocked with paraffin at 40–60 °C, and then sectioned into 5 μm thick sections. The significance of differences between the means was analyzed by student’s t- test followed by Turkey’s test.

Complete wound healing was observed with lotion formulation I and II treated rats in 15 days as that of Soframycin ointment. These findings were further confirmed by histological examination of granulation tissue with a lesser amount of collagination and absence of inflammatory cells.

The findings from this research indicates that the ethanol extract of Justicia tranquebariensis, Aloe vera and Curcuma longa are effective in inhibiting the growth of wound associated pathogen and faster the process of wound healing.