Antimicrobial and wound healing properties of ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract

Abstract

Better, safe, and effective alternative antimicrobial agents are needed in the light of the growing interest in antimicrobial resistance. The Indian subcontinent is home to the fast-growing, drought-resistant Moringa oleifera tree, which is widely utilized in South and Southeast Asia. It is a member of the Moringaceae family. The leaves of Moringa oleifera were collected, identified, pulverized and extracted with the aid of the Soxhlet apparatus, utilizing water as the extraction solvent. Standard protocol was followed in the phytochemical evaluation of the extract. Agar plate diffusion technique was used in the antimicrobial assay to determine the Inhibition Zone Diameter (IZD) of the aqueous extract (600 mg/ml & 800 mg/ml) and ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract against the test organisms: A. niger, C. albicans, B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. Wound healing activities of the ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract were studied using five groups of adult albino rats weighing above 120g each. Groups 1, 2 and 3 received 1, 2 and 5 % ointment formulations respectively while groups 4 and 5 received Cicatrin ointment formulation and blank ointment as the positive and negative controls respectively. The aqueous extract and ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract were found to possess antimicrobial effect with the 5% ointment formulation having an IZD of 5mm against C. albicans. The ointment formulations had a very significant wound healing activity with the 5 % ointment formulation of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract having the percentage wound contractions of 97.14, 99.04 & 100.00 % in the last three days (Day 16, 18 and 20) respectively which was higher than that of the standard Cicatrin ointment used which gave 90.69, 96.27 & 98.60 % respectively. The antimicrobial and wound healing properties of the ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract were thus, established. This study, therefore, contributes a nuanced understanding of both the antimicrobial and wound healing properties of ointment formulations of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract, shedding light on its potential therapeutic applications. It is recommended that further exploration on its potential therapeutic properties be done to increase its broad application in pharmaceuticals.