Evaluation of in vivo Wound Healing Activity of Ursolic Acid Rich Chloroform Extract of Hedyotis herbacea Linn Ointment

Aim: This study evaluates the effect of in vivo wound healing potential of Ursolic acid rich chloroform extract of Hedyotis herbacea Linn ointment using incision and excision wound model.

Study Design: Wound healing potentials of Hedyotis herbacea were analysed by Incision and excision wound model.

Place of Study: Nandha College of Pharmacy, Erode, Tamilnadu.

Methodology: Hedyotis herbacea was subjected to extraction (cold maceration), with solvents of increasing polarity. All the extracts were estimated for the presence of phytoconstituents by HPTLC. As the study has been focused on the phytoconstituent based biological activity, the Ursolic acid rich chloroform extract was chosen for the study of wound healing activity. The Chloroform extract of Hedyotis herbacea was incorporated into ointment base, to prepare the ointment. The ointments prepared with Chloroform extract (2.5% and 5%) of Hedyotis herbacea (CEHH) were subjected for evaluation of excision and incision wound model. Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups each consisting of six animals; group I (left untreated) considered as untreated control, group II treated with 5% w/w povidone-iodine ointment served as standard, group III treated with CEHH 2.5% w/w ointment, and group IV treated with CEHH 5% w/w ointment were considered as test groups. All the treatments were given once daily. Wound healing effect was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, level of total protein, Hydroxy proline, Hexosamine and Hexuronic acid and histopathology studies in an excision wound model. Tensile strength was also measured in both excision and incision wound.

Results: Wound healing activity of CEHH 5% w/w ointment treated group was greater than CEHH 2.5% w/w and untreated groups in both excision and incision wound model. The high rate of wound contraction (*P< 0.001), high tensile strength (*P< 0.001), and elevated total protein, Hydroxyproline, Hexosamine, and Hexuronic acid content were observed in animals treated with CEHH ointments when compared to the untreated control group of animals. Histopathological studies of the CEHH ointments treated groups also revealed the effectiveness in wound healing.

Conclusion: These results justified the claimed traditional use of the Hedyotis herbacea as wound healing plant.