Acceleration of wound healing activity by Polygonatum odoratum leaf extract in rats

Polygonatum odoratum is an important herbal medicine that is used in folk medicine for the treatment of various elements and its components are reported to have various biological effects. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of topical application of ethanol leaf extract of this plant on the rate of wound healing closure and histology of healed wound. Four groups of male Sprague Dawley rats, all were experimentally wound in the posterior neck area. The animal groups were topically treated respectively with 0.4 ml of each vehicle (gum acacia), Intrasite gel, 100 and 200 mg/ml of ethanol leaf extract. Macroscopically, wound dressed with leaf extracts and Intrasite gel-treated group significantly healed earlier than those treated with vehicle, and the rate of wound healing was significantly accelerated by topical application of 200 mg/kg leaf extract. Histological analysis of healed wounds dresses with leaf extracts showed comparatively less scar width at wound closure and healed wound contained less inflammatory cells and more collagen with angiogenesis as compared to wounds dressed with vehicle. In conclusion, wounds dressed with leaf extracts significantly enhanced the acceleration of wound healing enclosure in rats.   Key words: Polygonatum odoratum leaf, ethanol extract, wound healing, histology.