Phytochemical constituents and wound healing properties of ointment formulations of Ocimum gratissimum crude aqueous leaf extracts

There is need for safe, acceptable and cost-effective wound healing remedies. In this work, the phytochemical constituents of the aqueous leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum and its wound healing properties were evaluated using the excision wound healing model. The leaves were air-dried and extracted with Soxhlet extractor. Phytochemical constituents of the crude extract were evaluated. The extract was used to formulate simple ointments containing 1 and 2 % w/w of the extract. Male albino rats weighing 65 – 180 g were divided into 4 groups, shaved, inflicted with circular wounds of 2 mm diameter and treated with the ointment formulations. Animals in Group I were treated with the formulation containing 1% of extract, animals in Group 2 with ointments containing 2 % of extract, animals in Groups 3 with a bland ointment and animals in Group 4 with Cicatrin powder (a standard wound healing agent. Groups 3 and 4 animals served as controls. Wound healing degree was determined by the size of the wound over a period of 21 days. The extract contain alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids and resins but not saponin. Concentration- independent, timedependent wound healings were observed in the animals treated with the ointment formulations containing Ocimum gratissimum aqueous leaf extract, superior to those observed in animals treated with the blank ointment and Cicatrin® powder. The aqueous leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum can be formulated into ointments for use in wound treatments.Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, wound healing, aqueous extract, excision wound mode

Wound healing properties of ointment formulations of Ocimum gratissimum crude n-hexane bark extracts using the excision wound model

present work evaluated the phyto-constituents and wound healing  properties of ointments formulated with the n-hexane crude bark extract of a plant used folklorically in wound healing, Ocimum gratissimum. The excision wound model was employed in the wound healing studies. The air-dried, size-reduced barks were subjected to Soxhlet extraction using n-hexane. The resulting n-hexane extract was subjected to phytochemical screening to identify the phytochemical constituents present.  Subsequently, the extract was employed at two concentrations (1 % w/w and 2 % w/w) in the formulation of simple ointments which were applied to excision wounds inflicted on male albino rats. The wound healings were evaluated in the animals over a period of 21 days. Results obtained showed that the ointments formulated with n-hexane bark extract of Ocimum gratissimum showed superior wound healing properties  compared to those exhibited by Cicatrin®, a standard wound healing agent, thus predisposing the extract as a potential wound healing agent when formulated as ointments.Keywords: wound healing, ointment, Ocimum gratissimum, bark, methanol extract, Cicatrin

Evaluating the ethyl-acetate fraction of crude methanol leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum formulated as ointments for wound healing properties using the excision wound model

Ointment formulations of the ethyl acetate fraction of the crude methanol leaf extract of <i>Ocimum gratissimum</i> was in this study evaluated for wound healing activities in rat using the excision wound model. The air-dried and pulversied leaves were extracted with methanol in a Soxhlet extraction apparatus to obtain the crude methanol extract. This was  subsequently shaken with ethyl acetate and to obtain the ethyl acetate fraction, which was later dried and used in two different concentrations ( 1% w/w and 2 % w/w to formulate simple ointments. The ointments were evaluated for wound healing properties using male albino rats (65 – 180 g) aged 3 – 4 months. Prior to this, the crude methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction were subjected to phytochemical studies to ascertain their phyto-constituents .The phytochemical studies showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and resins and absence of glycosides and saponins. The ointment formulations had wound healing activities which were time-dependent, but concentration independent. The ointment formulations containing the extracts showed more effective wound healing than the positive control, Cicatrin® a standard wound healing agent, with the ointment containing 1 % w/w extract having superior effects than the batch containing 2 % w/w, implying that the extract, at 1 % w/w concentration, can be exploited in ointment form, as a potential wound healing remedy.Keywords: wound healing, ointment, ethyl acetate fraction, methanol extract, Ocimum gratissimum, Cicatrin

Phytochemical constituents and wound healing properties of ointment formulations of Ocimum gratissimum crude aqueous leaf extracts

There is need for safe, acceptable and cost-effective wound healing remedies. In this work, the phytochemical constituents of the aqueous leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum and its wound healing properties wereevaluated using the excision wound healing model. The leaves were air-dried and extracted with Soxhlet extractor. Phytochemical constituents of the crude extract were evaluated. The extract was used to formulate simple ointments containing 1 and 2 % w/w of the extract. Male albino rats weighing 65 – 180 g were divided into 4 groups, shaved, inflicted with circular wounds of 2 mm diameter and treated with the ointment formulations. Animals in Group I were treated with the formulation containing 1% of extract, animals in Group 2 with ointments containing 2 % of extract, animals in Groups 3 with a bland ointment and animals in Group 4 with Cicatrin powder (a standard wound healing agent. Groups 3 and 4 animals served as controls. Wound healing degree was determined by the size of the wound over a period of 21 days. The extract contain alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids and resins but not saponin. Concentration- independent, timedependent wound healings were observed in the animals treated with the ointment formulations containing Ocimum gratissimum aqueous leaf extract, superior to those observed in animals treated with the blank ointment and Cicatrin® powder. The aqueous leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum can be formulated into ointments for use in wound treatments.Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, wound healing, aqueous extract, excision wound modelJournal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences Vol. 16 No.4 (2019