title: In vitro evaluation of effects of two Ghanaian plants relevant to wound healing.
abstract: Commelina diffusa and Spathodea campanulata are used as wound-healing agents in Ashanti traditional medicine in Ghana. The methanol extracts of Commelina diffusa herb and Spathodea campanulata bark showed some level of antimicrobial activity with C. diffusa exhibiting selective antifungal activity against Trichophyton species. The extracts reduced the peroxidation of bovine brain extract with an IC(50) value of 1.39 mg/mL and 0.24 mg/mL, respectively. In addition the extracts also exhibited significant antioxidant activity by protecting MRC-5 cells from hydrogen peroxide induced oxidant injury at concentrations between 1 microg/mL and 10 microg/mL. The extracts showed no inhibition of NF-kappaB at 100 microg/mL. The antioxidant activities and antimicrobial activities suggest that the use of the plants in wound healing may be based on antioxidant and antiseptic effects of its constituents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Abraham Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Mensah
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: Rita A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bremner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D029402:Bignoniaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D034822:Commelina / Q000737:chemistry*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000432:Methanol