Evaluation of the Wound Healing Activity of the Crude Extract of Leaves of Acanthus polystachyus Delile (Acanthaceae)

BACKGROUND: Medicinal plants play indispensable roles to treat various ailments. Acanthus polystachyus is one of the medicinal plants used traditionally for treatment of wounds. However, there were no scientific reports documented so far on the wound healing activities of this plant. Thus, the present study provides a scientific evaluation for the wound healing potential of the crude extract of A. polystachyus leaves. METHODS: The crude extraction was carried out using 80% methanol. The crude extract was prepared in 5% (w/w) and 10% (w/w) ointment and evaluated for wound healing activity using excision, infected, and incision wound models in Swiss albino mice. RESULTS: Both 5% and 10% (w/w) ointments significantly reduced period of epithelialization and increased wound contraction rate and tensile strength compared to the negative control group (P < 0.05). The wound healing activity of 10% (w/w) ointment treated group was greater than 5% (w/w) and nitrofurazone ointment treated groups in S. aureus infected wound model. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the crude extract of A. polystachyus leaves possesses wound healing activities. This justifies the traditional claimed use of the plant for treating uninfected and infected wounds caused by S. aureus.