Evaluation of wound healing, anti-microbial and antioxidant potential of Pongamia pinnata in wistar rats

OBJECTIVE: To investigate wound healing, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of leaf extract of Pongamia Pinnata. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Methanolic extracts of P. pinnata leaf were studied for wound healing efficiency, and was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, tensile strength, breaking strength, hydroxyproline and hexosamine content, along with its effect on pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines was assessed using excision and incision model of wound repair in Wistar rats. Antimicrobial activity against ten microorganisms was also assessed. In vivo antioxidant activity was performed to understand the mechanism of wound healing potency. RESULTS: The results indicated that P. pinnata extract has potent wound healing capacity as evident from the wound contraction and increased tensile strength. Hydroxyproline and hexosamine expression were also well correlated with the healing pattern observed. extract exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger also indicate that P. pinnata posses potent antioxidant activity by inhibition lipid peroxidation, reduce glutathione, superoxide dismutase level and increases catalase activity. During early wound healing phase TNF-α and IL-6 level were found to be up-regulated by P. pinnata treatment. CONCLUSION: Increased wound contraction and tensile strength, augmented hydroxyproline and hexosamine content, antioxidative activity and moderate antimicrobial activity support the early wound healing exhibited by P. pinnata. Induction in cytokine production may be one of the mechanisms in accelerating the wound healing. Results suggest that P. pinnata may be useful in tropical management of wound healing.