Influence of the fruit and leaf extract of Psidium guajava linn. on wound healing in Wistar rats.

Abstract: Leaf extract of guava (Psidium guajava Linn.) has been reported to promote wound healing in traditional medicine but there is paucity of information in literature regarding similar activity of fruit extract. Therefore, the present study was planned to investigate the influence of leaf and fruit extract of Psidium guajava Linn. on re-sutured incision, excision, and dead space wounds in male Wistar rats. Wounds were inflicted under light ether anesthesia aseptically. Control animals received vehicle and other groups received aqueous extract of either leaf or fruit orally in the dose of 500mg/kg/day for a period of 10 days in the incision and dead space wounds, whereas treatment continued till complete wound closure in excision wound model. On the 10 th day after estimation of breaking strength of the resutured incision wounds, animals were sacrificed and granulation tissue from dead space wounds were used to estimate the breaking strength and hydroxyproline content. Quantification of granulation tissue and histopathological slides were also carried out. Wound closure rate, epithelization time and scar features were studied in the excision wounds from the day of extract administration till complete closure of wounds. Only aqueous fruit extract significantly (P<0.01) promoted the healing process in all three wound models studied. Histopathological slides revealed increased collagen content and granulation tissue in fruit extract treated group as compared to that of control. In contrast, the leaf extract delayed excision wound healing and had no effect on incision and dead space wounds. These findings merit, clinical evaluation of Psidium gaujava fruit