Wound Healing Activity of Tagetes erecta Linn Leaves
By - 12/11/2004
1T. Ghosh*, 1A. Bose, 1G.
K. Dash and 2T. K. Maity
1.Institute of Pharmacy & Technology, Salipur, Orissa, India.
2.Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
*Corresponding author (e- mail: tghosh75@yahoo.co.in, ghoshtirtha_g@rediffmail.com)
Abstract
The ethanolic (50% v/v) extract of the leaves of Tagetes erecta Linn.
(Family – Asteraceae) was screened for wound-healing activity on adult albino
rats by Excision wound model and Incision wound model respectively. The
studies on excision wound model reveals significant wound healing activity of
the extract, which is comparable with the reference control nitrofurazone. In
the incision model, the tensile strength of the extract treated group is found
to be highly significant (p< 0.001) on 12th post wounding day when
compared with controls.
Key words: Tagetes erecta, Excision wound model, Incision wound
model, Nitrofurazone, Wound healing.
Introduction
Tagetes erecta Linn. (Family – Asteraceae), commonly known as Marigold
is a common garden plant, erect, branched and annual growing; leaves are very
strong scented, pinnately divided with lanceolate- serrate segments1.
The leaves are reported to be effective against piles, kidney troubles, muscular
pain, ulcers, wounds and earache1, 2. The pounded leaves are used as
an external application to boils and carbuncles3. The steam distillation
of fresh leaves offer 0.3% of essential oil with a strong, sweet lasting odour
and contains d-Limonene, ocimene, l- linalyl acetate, l-linalool tagetone, n-
nonyl aldehyde4. The various tribes of Orissa apply the leaf juice
over the fresh cuts and wounds for quick healing. The present paper deals with
the wound healing activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves on experimental
animal models.
Materials and Methods
Plant Material
The plant Tagetes erecta Linn. was identified by the taxonomists
of the Department of Botany, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. After authentication,
fresh leaves were collected in bulk from young matured plants from the rural
belt of Salipur during early summer, washed, shade dried and then milled in
to coarse powder by a mechanical grinder.
Preparation of extract
The powdered plant material was extracted with ethanol (50%v/v)
by maceration in a closed vessel for 7 days. The solvent was then removed under
reduced pressure, which obtained a greenish-black coloured sticky residue (yield-
9.55% w/w with respect to dry material). The dried extract (residue) was mixed
with Simple ointment I.P. (10%w/w). Nitrofurazone (0.2%w/w in Simple ointment
I.P. served as reference standard.
Animals used
Adult Wistar rats of either sex, weighing between 130 to 180 g supplied
by M/s Ghose enterprises, Kolkata, were used in the study. The animals were
supplied with food and water ad libitum.
Wound Healing Evaluation
Screening for wound-healing activity was performed by Excision wound model5
and Incision wound model6 respectively. The hair on the skin
of back surface of animals was removed by using a suitable depilatory (Anne
French hair removing cream). The selected animals were divided into three groups
of six in each. All the test samples were applied topically.
Excision Wound Model
Circular wounds of approximately 10 mm diameter were inflicted on
the cleared skin by cutting under mild ether anaesthesia. The areas of the wounds
were measured (sq. mm) immediately by placing a transparent polythene graph
paper over the wound and then tracing the area of the wound on it. This was
taken as the initial wound area reading. Group-I served as negative control,
which received Simple ointment I.P. Group-II served as positive control to which
nitrofurazone (0.2 % w/w in Simple ointment I.P.) was applied topically. Group-III
animals were treated with the extract (10%w/w) in a similar manner. All the
test samples were applied once daily. The wound area of each animal was measured
on 1st, 4th, 8th and 12th post wounding
day. The percentage of wound contraction was calculated from the days of measurements
of wound area (Table. 1)
Incision Wound Model
Light incisions were made on the cleared surface by cutting the
skin of the animals under mild ether anaesthesia. The wounds were created at
a length of about 1.5 cm. After the incision, the parted skin was kept together
and stitched with black silk at both the ends of the created wound. The test
samples were applied as above in a similar manner. The tensile strength was
measured by using tensiometer on 12th post wounding day (Table. 2).
Statistical Analysis
Results were analysed by student's t-test. The minimum level of
significance was fixed at p< 0.05.
Results and discussion
The studies on excision wound healing model reveals that all the three groups
showed decreased wound area from day to day. However, on 12th post
wounding day, Group-I animals showed 47.42% of healing (which may be due to
self immunity of the animals) where as nitrofurazone treated animals showed
80.99% healing. On the other hand, the extract treated group showed 82.86% of
wound healing (Table. 1).
In the incision model, the tensile strength of the extract treated group is
found to be 193.33 gm on 12th post wounding day. When compared with
the controls, the activity of the extract was found to be highly significant
(p< 0.001).
The above findings justify the wound healing properties of the leaves as suggested
in the folklore literature that is comparable with nitrofurazone.
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the Principal and the Management of
Institute of Pharmacy and Technology, Salipur for providing necessary facilities
to carry out the present research work.
Table-1
Effect of Topical Application of Tagetes erecta on Excision
wounds.
| Group | Treatment | Percentage wound
contraction on post wounding day | |||
1st
| 4th
| 8th
| 12th
| ||
| I II III
| Vehicle Nitrofurazone Extract
|
| 19.39 ± 4.33 21.63 ± 1.74 20.91 ± 5.08
| 27.96 ± 3.97 42.59 ± 3.6* 37.74 ± 3.38
| 47.42 ± 2.76 80.99 ± 2.12** 82.86 ± 1.12**
|
n= 6, Values (Mean ± SEM) expressed as percentage wound healing in each group
on the post wounding day. *p< 0.05, **p< 0.001 vs. control.
Table- 2
Effect of Topical Application of Tagetes erecta on Tensile
Strength of Incised Wounds.
| Group | Treatment | Tensile strength in |
| I II III
| Vehicle Nitrofurazone Extract
| 140.0 ± 4.91 286.66 ± 6.63** 193.33 ± 5.36 **
|
n= 6, Results expressed as Mean ± SEM, All p values are calculated with respect
to vehicle control, **p< 0.001.
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