Wound Healing Activity of the Chloroform Extract of Plumbago rosea Linn. and Plumbagin

The wound healing activity of plumbagin and the chloroform extract of Plumbago rosea Linn. (Yoot), incorporated into ointments with yellow soft paraffin, have been investigated on rats. Wound healing activity was studied using excision and incision wound models in rats following topical application. Both plumbagin and the Plumbago rosea root extract produced a significant response in both of the wound models studied. The wound contracted in 14 days in the case of plumbagin (0.1%) and 16 days in case of Plumbago rosea root extract (0.5%), as against in 22 days in the case of control animals. The results were also comparable to those of a standard drug, framycetin sulphate cream (1% w/w) in terms of wound contracting ability, wound closure time, tensile strength of wound and regeneration of tissues at the wound site. Histological studies revealed evidences for the healing process by formation of fibrovascular tissue, epithelization and increased collagenization when compared to control.