INTRODUCTION:

Acacia catechu is a commonly occurring tree in India up to height of 1500m. This plant material is used as anodyne, astringent, bactericide, refrigerant, stimulant, and styptic, masticatory expectorant and antiphlogistic. It is also used in asthma, cough, bronchitis, colic, diarrhoea, dysentery, boils, in skin affections and sores and for somatitis. The bark is used as an anthelmentic, antipyretic, antiinflamatory, in bronchitis, ulcers, anaemia and gum troubles^1-4. In Ayurvedic medicine, Acacia leaves, flowers, and pods have long been used to expel worms, to staunch bleeding, heal wounds, and suppress the coughing up of blood. Its strong astringent action is used to contract and toughen mucous membranes throughout the body in much the same way as witch hazel or oak bark^5-7 .The wound may be defined as a loss or breaking of cellular and anatomic or functional continuity of living tissues. Healing of wound is a biological process that is initiated by trauma and often terminated by scar formation. The process of wound healing occurs in different phases such as coagulation, epithelization, granulation, collegenation and tissue remodeling. In India, there has been interest in the potential of medicinal plant for development of drugs with wound healing properties as taught in a popular form of Indian medicine known as Ayurveda ⁸.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Plant Collection:

The bark of Acacia catechu was collected from Udaipur city (Rajasthan) and authenticated it from the department of botany, Bhupal Nobles’ Girls P. G. College, Udaipur (Rajasthan).

Extraction of Acacia catechu:

The bark of Acacia catechu was dried under shade and then powdered with a mechanical grinder to obtain a coarse powder (500 gm).The fine powder of whole plant was packed in high quality filter paper, which was then subjected to successive extraction in a soxhlet apparatus using 50% ethanol for about 72 hour, solvent was recovered. After vacuum evaporation the crude extract was dissolved in distilled water.

Experimental Animals:

Albino rats (Wistar strain) weighing 125 -150 gm of either sex were used for the present study. The animals were housed in polypropylene cages at control temperature (26 ± 2° C) relative humidity (60 ± 5%) and light. Rats were fed with standard laboratory diet and drinking water was given through drinking bottle throughout the experiment.

Chemicals:

Betadine ointment 15%, diethyl ether, ethanol, sterilized cotton were used.

Drug Formulation:

The extract of plant fully dissolves in distilled water. The solution of the whole plant extract (600mg/ml) was freshly prepared in distilled water.

Grouping of animals

Animals were divided in to three groups, each group consisting of 6 rats.

Group I: Received no treatment and served as control

Group II: Received application of standard drug ointment i.e. betadin ointment 15 %

Group III: Received application of hydroalcoholic extract of Acacia catechu.(400 mg/kg/day)

Excision wound model:⁹

Excision wounds were used for the study of rate of contraction of wound and epithelization. Animals were anaesthetized with slight vapour inhalation of di-ethyl ether and the right side of each rat was shaved. Excision wounds sized 300 mm2 and 2 mm depth were made by cutting out layer of skin from the shaven area. The entire wound was left open. The treatment was done topically in all the cases. The extract was applied at a dose of 400 mg/kg/day for 16 days. Wound areas were measured on days 1, 4, 8 and 16 for all groups, using a transparency sheet and a permanent marker.

Incision wound model^{10, 11}

The incision wound model was studied. Under light ether anesthesia the animal was secured to operation table in its natural position. One paravertebral straight incision of 6 cm was made on either side of the vertebral column with the help of scalpel blade. Wounds were cleaned with 70% alcohol soaked with cotton swabs. They were kept in separate cages. The extract was applied at a dose of 400 mg/kg/day for 10 days. The sutures were removed after 8 days, on tenth day the tensile strength was measured by continuous constant water supply technique.

Statistical Analysis

The means of wound area measurement and wound breaking strength between groups at different time intervals were compared using one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s tests.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

In studies using excision wound model, the extract treated group III showed significantly greater wound healing as compared to control animals (table 1). The standard drug treated animals in normal animals were showed significantly greater wound closure as compared to control and extract treated animals. In incision wound model, significant increase was observed in the skin tensile strength of latex treated group on 10^th post wounding day (table 2).

Our present study emphasized on our indigenous medicinal plant of Acacia catechu. In present study incision wounds healing by granulation, collagenation, and tensile strength was measured indirectly to assess the collagen content and maturation. The results indicate that extract of Acacia catechu significantly promoted collagen as compared to the control. Use of single model is inadequate and there is no reference standard which can collectively represent the various components of wound healing as drugs which, influence one phase may not necessarily influence another. Hence in our study we have used two models to assess the effect of extract on various phases of wound healing.

Table 1: Effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Acacia Catechu on Excision wound (Wound area mm² )

DAYS	GROUP I	GROUP II	GROUP III
1	282.82 ± 8.23	183.30±6.84***	257.69 ± 6.07*
4	254.23±8.66	153.33 ±6.89***	206.28± 7.80**
8	213.28 ± 7.23	124.00 ±9.45***	178.00 ± 5.8**
16	69.22 ± 5.34	31.00 ±4.14***	35.50± 4.90***

N=6, values are in ±SEM, ***extremely significant p <.0001, **very significant p<0.001, significant p < 0.01

Table 2: Effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Acacia Catechu on wound healing in incision wound.

GROUPS	INCISION WOUND BREAKING STRENGTH (g)
GROUP I	295.20±15.90
GROUP II	485±15.14***
GROUP III	430.85±12.20***

N=6, values are in ±SEM, ***extremely significant p <.0001

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Received on 22.02.2011 Modified on 20.03.2011

Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 4(6): June 2011; Page 905-906