Evaluation of wound healing properties of Arrabidaea chica Verlot extract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Arrabidaea chica Verlot. (Bignoniaceae), popularly known as Crajiru, has been traditionally used as wound healing agent. Aim of the study: Investigate in vitro and in vivo healing properties of Arrabidaea chica leaves extract (AC). Materials and methods: AC was evaluated in vitro in fibroblast growth stimulation (0.25-250 mu g/mL) and collagen production stimulation (250 mu g/mL.) assays. Allantoin (0.25-250 mu g/mL) and vitamin C (25 mu g/mL) were used as controls respectively. DPPH and Folin-Ciocalteau assays were used for antioxidant evaluation, using trolox (0.25-250 mu g/mL) as reference antioxidant. To study wound healing properties in rats, AC (100 mg/mL, 200 mu L/wound/day) was topically administered during 10 days and wound area was evaluated every day. Allantoin (100 mg/mL, 200 mu L/wound/day) was used as standard drug. After treatment, wound sites were removed for histopathological analysis and total collagen determination. Results: AC stimulated fibroblast growth in a concentration dependent way (EC50 = 30 mu g/mL), increased in vitro collagen production and demonstrated moderate antioxidant capacity. In vivo, AC reduced wound size in 96%. whereas saline group showed only 36% wound healing. Conclusion: AC efficiency seems to involve fibroblast growing stimulus and collagen synthesis both in vitro and in vivo, beyond moderate scavenging activity, corroborating Crajiru folk use. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.