Excision wounds healing activity of Centella asiatica (Gotukola) extract on laboratory rats

Abstract

Background: Skin wound cases are increasing in hospitals requiring efficient treatment. The dependence on antimicrobial has been expensive and sometimes less effective hence requiring alternatives. Medicinal herbs with wound healing properties could be among the alternatives.

Methods: The current study assessed the wound healing efficacy of Centella sciatica (Gotukola leaves) ethanolic extract using Laboratory rats as a model. A total of 32 animals were divided into 8 groups (n=4). G1 (Control group (nothing), G2 (Dexamethasone + 1% Gotukola extract), G3 (0.1% Gotukola extract), G4 (0.5% Gotukola extract), G5 (1% Gotukola extract), G6 (Grounded fresh Leaves of Gotukola), and G7 (Silver sulphadiazine). Excision wounds were made on the skin. The plant extract solution was applied to the wound and results were observed on days 3, 7, and 10. Assessed parameters included wound contraction percentages, wound epithelialization time, duration taken for complete wound healing, and gross appearance of wounds.

Results: wounds treated with 1 or 0.5 percentages of Gatukola leaf extract had relatively higher contraction percentages, shorter epithelialization time, and shorter duration for complete healing compared to wounds of rats treated with the lower concentration of the extract and those of the control rats. Visual assessment of excision wounds in the current study revealed corroborative results in that wounds of rats under Gotukola extract at 1% and 0.5 appeared to be recovering faster similar to that of the positive control compared to the wounds treated with a lower concentration of the extract, leaf juice, dexamethasone incorporated extracts and wounds of the negative control.

Conclusion: The extracts of C. asiatica at the dosage of 1 or 0.5 %, promoted wound healing at a rate similar to that of the conventional silver sulphadiazine suggesting its potential use in wound management.