The evaluation of wound-healing potential of Hypericum hookerianum leaf and stem extracts

Hypericum hookerianum Wight and Arnott of the family Hypericaceae is a well-known plant among the 20 different species of Hypericum found in India. Because of its use as a wound-healing agent in traditional practices and literature references, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the wound-healing potential of this plant.

Methanol extracts of the leaves (HHLM) and stems (HHSM) of H. hookerianum were studied for their wound-healing properties in the form of ointment, using two types of wound models in 36 rats. Ointments of the dried extract of the leaves and stems of this plant were applied in two different concentrations (5% w/w and 10% w/w ointment of extracts in simple ointment base) in both the wound models used in the present study. The effects were studied on incision (skin-breaking strength) and excision (percent wound contraction and epithelialization time) wound models.

The methanol extract of both leaves and stem of H. hookerianum; 72 white albino rats of either gender containing six groups for each experimental model with six animals in each group.

The extract ointments at both concentrations performed significant in both the wound models. The leaf extract in both concentrations showed greater activity than the stem. Ointments of both extracts of H. hookerianum showed significant effects on wound contraction, wound closure time, tensile strength, regeneration of tissues at the wound site, among other effects. All these effects were comparable to those of a standard drug, nitrofurazone ointment (0.2% w/w). This investigation confirms the use of aerial parts of H. hookerianum as a potential wound-healing agent, a property known from folklore medicine.