Evaluation of Wound Healing Activity of 80% Methanol Stem-Bark Extract and Solvent Fractions of Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman (Rosaceae) in Mice

PURPOSE: Prunus africana is a well-known plant that is used in Ethiopian traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds and other ailments, although there is no scientific evidence to back up the claims of its wound-healing properties. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the wound-healing potential of P. africana bark extract in mice. METHODS: The bark of the plant was extracted by successive maceration using 80% methanol and then fractionated with aqueous, n-butanol, and chloroform. The crude extract and solvent fractions were formulated as an ointment. Wound healing activity was evaluated using excision and incision wound models. Total phenol, flavonoid, and alkaloid contents of the crude extract, aqueous, and n- butanol fractions of the plant were determined. RESULTS: In both models, mice treated with 5% (w/w) and 10% (w/w) crude extract ointment exhibited a significant (p < 0.001) wound healing activity compared with control as evidenced by the increased rate of wound contraction and hydroxyproline content, the reduced epithelialization time, and the higher skin breaking strength. Mice treated with aqueous fraction ointment exhibited a high percentage of wound healing effect among all solvent fractions. The aqueous fraction consisted of higher phenolic (49.71 ± 0.73 mg/g) and flavonoid (39.58 ± 0.27 mg/g) content, while alkaloid (3.89 ± 0.55 mg/g) content was the lowest. CONCLUSION: Prunus africana stem bark extract demonstrated wound healing activity in mice model which supports the acclaimed use by Ethiopian traditional medicine.