Evaluating the wound healing ability of Melicope pteleifolia (Champ. Ex Benth.) T.g. Hartley

Abstract

Melicope pteleifolia (Champ. ex benth.) T.g. Hartley, a folk medicinal plant, is used by ethnic minorities in Bidoup–Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam to treat effectively wound, inflammation and skin ulcer. To scientifically prove the claimed utilization and understand the mechanism of action of the plant, the in vitro and in vivo healing properties of the extract and fractions of the plant were investigated. The ethanol 70 % extract (50 – 400 mg/mL), aqueous (200 mg/mL), ethyl acetate (100 mg/mL) and petroleum ether (50 mg/mL) fractions were used to evaluate the antibacterial activities by using agar diffusion method. The healing properties were in vitro investigated through fibroblasts and keratinocytes proliferation and migration (7.8 g/mL to 250 g/mL in accordance with each extract and fraction). Besides, the macrophage-induced inhibition of the nitric oxide (NO) production was examined (15.6 – 62.5 g/mL). In addition, the excision wound model was used to test the wound healing activity on mice model. We found that the ethanol extract and the ethyl acetate fraction showed potent activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus feacalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The extract and fractions stimulated fibroblasts and keratinocytes proliferation in a concentration-dependent way. They also inhibited macrophage produce NO. In addition, mice treated by the extract formed scabs on wound excision of mice model faster than the control group. The wound healing efficiency seems to involve antibacterial, stimulating fibroblasts and keratinocytes proliferation, inhibition of macrophages produce NO.