Open AccessEfficacy of Annona squamosa on wound healing in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats
Author(s) -
Ponrasu Thangavel,
Suguna Lonchin
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international wound journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1742-481X
pISSN - 1742-4801
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-481x.2011.00924.x
Subject(s) - custard apple , annona squamosa , medicine , wound healing , saline , streptozotocin , traditional medicine , uronic acid , diabetes mellitus , surgery , biochemistry , chemistry , anesthesia , biology , endocrinology , horticulture , polysaccharide
Annona squamosa L. (Annonaceae), commonly known as custard apple, mainly used for its edible fruit, is also recognised with numerous medicinal properties. As there is no report on the efficacy of this plant for wound healing, we examined the efficacy of ethanolic extract of A. squamosa leaves on wound repair in streptozotocin–nicotinamide‐induced diabetic rats. Open excision wounds were made on the back of rats. The drug at a dosage of 100 mg/kg body wt was reconstituted in 200 µl of phosphate buffered saline and applied topically once daily for the treated wounds. The control wounds were left untreated. Wound tissues formed on days 4, 8, 12 and 16 (post‐wound) were used to estimate DNA, total protein, total collagen, hexosamine and uronic acid. Levels of lipid peroxides were also evaluated along with tensile strength and period of epithelialisation. A. squamosa L. increased cellular proliferation and collagen synthesis at the wound site as evidenced by increase in DNA, protein and total collagen. The treated wounds were observed to heal much faster as proved by enhanced rates of epithelialisation and wound contraction, which was also confirmed by histopathological examinations. The results strongly substantiate the beneficial effects of the topical application of A. squamosa L. in the acceleration of normal and diabetic wound healing.