The wound healing action of a cream latex formulation of Jatropha gaumeri Greenm. in a pre-clinical model

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Jatropha gaumeri Greenm. is commonly used to treat mouth blisters and skin rashes, its latex has analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity on buccal ulcer. This study aimed to demonstrate the wound healing activity of a cream formulation of Jatropha gaumeri Greenm. latex in a murine model, provide a histological assessment of its scarring effects, and identify the family of phytochemicals involved in these effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Latex was obtained from the cut stalk leaves and young stems of J. gaumeri and stored in sterile tubes with protection from light. Chloroform, ethyl acetate, and aqueous fractions of the latex were obtained. Fifty male Balb/c mice aged 10-12 weeks were divided into10 groups of five mice: Group 1 corresponded to healthy mice with wounds; Group 2 corresponded to mice with wounds and treated with A-Derma(®); and from Group 3 to group 10 corresponded to mice treated with a different latex fraction. A circular skin wound of about 1 cm was made on the paravertebral region of each mouse under anesthetized and aseptic conditions. The wounds were topically treated every 24 h with the respective extracts for 22 days, after which skin tissue specimens were obtained and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome. The efficiency of healing was measured by quantifying the tensile strength of the scars. The phytochemicals in the latex were elucidated using thin chromatography. RESULTS: The aqueous latex fraction produced the best wound healing activity and was superior to the positive control. Reepithelialization at the histological level resulted in tissue that resembled healthy skin in terms of the appearance of collagen, the regeneration of hair follicles, and cellularity of the dermis, which showed organized epithelialization. A wound healing efficacy of 97% was observed, and it seems that alkaloids were the phytochemicals mostly likely responsible for these effects. CONCLUSION: J. gaumeri latex exhibited wound healing activity, possibly mediated by phytochemicals such as alkaloids in the aqueous fraction.