Evaluation of Wound Healing Effect of Aqueous Stem Extract of Zanthoxylum Rhetsa (Roxb.) Dc. on Wistar Rats

The present investigation has been undertaken to study the wound healing properties of aqueous extract of Zanthoxylum rhetsa. The plant Zanthoxylum rhetsa has a long history in herbal medicine in many countries. Experiments were conducted following standard procedures. The extracts were evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and total phenol and flavonoid content. The AQZR ointment were administered topically, for evaluating the wound healing potential in excision wound model for twenty one days. Povidone iodine ointment was used as a standard for wound healing in excision wound model. Extract treated group showed in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial properties compared with standard and control. AQZR exhibited similar in vivo wound healing activity that of the standard but with lesser magnitude. The result may be attributed to the phytoconstituents such as flavonoids and phenolics present in it which may be due to their individual or cumulative effect that enhanced wound healing and provided scientific evidence to the ethnomedicinal futures of Zanthoxylum rhetsa. These findings could justify the inclusion of this plant in the management of wound healing