Preliminary study on the wound healing activity of ethanolic extract of Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn. in rats

Background: Vitellaria paradoxa, an African indigenous plant is well-known for its several medicinal applications in Nigeria, especially in skin diseases.Objectives: The present study was aimed at evaluating the scientific claim of the use of Vitellaria paradoxa stem bark by traditional medical practitioners in Nigeria for treatment of wounds.Materials and Methods: Powdered stem bark sample of V. paradoxa was screened for various classes of secondary metabolites using standard procedure. The wound healing activity of ethanol extract of the stem bark was evaluated using incision wound model in rats. Fifteen rats were divided into three groups of five rats each. Group 1 served as negative control and received normal saline. Group 2 served as positive control and received Mupirocin ointment. Group 3, the treatment group received crude ethanol extract of Vitellaria paradoxa stem bark. The gradual changes in wound size were measured in cm every three days.Results: The stem bark of V. paradoxa showed the presence of: tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids and cardiac glycosides in varying amounts. The wound size reduced from 5.0±0.0 cm on day 0 to 1.5±0.09 on day 3 and 1.2±0.09 on day 6. The reduction of 0.4±0.05 (92%) in wound area on day 9 in the ethanol stem bark extract was more than the reduction of 0.5±0.05 (90.8) observed in Mupirocin, the positive control group.Conclusions: The study therefore provides a scientific justification for the traditional use of this plant in the management of wounds.Keywords: Vitellaria paradoxa, Wound healing, Incision wound model, Ethanol extrac