EVALUATION OF IN VIVO AND IN VITRO WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF ACALYPHA INDICA

Abstract

The present study was required to evaluate the wound healing activity of aqueous extract of Acalypha indica. The wound healing activity was evaluated by in vivo and in vitro models. Excision and Incision wound models used for in vivo segment and CAM Assay used for in vitro segment. Wistar albino rats of either sex, weighing 120–150 g were used for in vivo studies. Animals were divided into 3 groups of 6 each. The group 1 was left untreated and considered as a control, group 2 was received standard drug Povidone-iodine ointment, group 3 received 1 % aqueous extract of A. indica mixed with ointment base. These ointments topically applied once daily till complete epithelialization. The % of wound contraction was calculated by weight variation of the trace paper. Results showed that the wound contracting capacity of A. indica was significantly greater than (P < 0.05) the control, and also comparable to standard Povidone-iodine ointment. The incision wound model was evaluated by measuring the tensile strength of regenerated tissue. The wound breaking strength was estimated at 10^th day by tensile tester. Testing results showed that A. indica produced a considerable increase in the tensile strength when compared with the control group; similar effects were comparable to standard drug treated group. The angiogenic activity of A. indica treated CAM showed the number of new blood capillaries than control CAM, also considerable with a standard drug treated CAM. The results suggest that aqueous extract of A. indica posses a significant wound healing potential in normal wound.