CUTANEOUS WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF THE ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF THE LEAF OF SENNA ALATA L. (FABACEAE)

Midawa, S.M, Ali, B.D., Mshelia, B. Z, Johnson, J.

Department of Biological Sciences

Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Senna alata L, (Fabaceae) also known as Craw-Craw plant, Candle bush or bush fire is a plant used to treat Ringworm, Scabies, and Ulcers, swelling and inflammation conditions, skin parasites and a wide assortment of diseases. The aims of this study is to investigate the wound healing effects of the leaf ethanolic extract of the plant on excision wound in laboratory Rats. 5 groups (n= 6 per group) were used. A wound area of 2 x 2cm was experimentally induced at the depilated dorsal portion of the animals. There concentrations of 125, 250 and 500mg of the leaf extracts were slated for the treatment of the wound topically. Group 1 2 and 3 were treated with the ethanolic leaf extract, group 4 was treated with spray plus (as standard drug) while group 5 was left untreated which served as the control group. Wounds were measured from the day of excision and every other 2 days interval till complete epithelialisation. The wound size in animals treated with the leaf extracts were significantly reduced (p<0.05) when compared with the negative control group. This study showed that the ethanol leaf extracts of Senna alata promoted significant wound healing in excision wound model compared to the negative control.  

Keywords: Senna alata, Ethanolic Extracts, cutaneous, wound healing.