Dermal wound healing potency of single alkaloid (betaine) versus standardized crude alkaloid enriched-ointment of Evolvulus alsinoides.
BACKGROUND
Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. (Convolvulaceae), well known as shankhpushpi in Ayurvedic text, is traditionally used for several healing purposes.


OBJECTIVE
A comparative evaluation of dermal wound healing potential of acidic and basic alkaloid enriched-ointment (AAO and BAO) of aerial parts of E. alsinoides versus pure alkaloid, betaine (BEO), was undertaken.


METHODS
The effect of topical application (50 mg/animal/day) of AAO-1%, AAO-2%, BAO-1%, BAO-2%, BEO-0.5% and BEO-1% was assessed through excision (14 days) and incision (10 days) models on rats. The percentage wound contraction, total protein content, and breaking strengths were determined followed by histopathological studies.


CONCLUSIONS
The total alkaloid in acidic and basic alkaloid enriched fractions was found to be 0.1114 and 0.1134 μg/mL, respectively. Thus, 0.1528, 0.3056, 0.1380 and 0.2459 μg of total alkaloid were estimated to be present in AAO-1%, AAO-2%, BAO-1% and BAO-2%, respectively. AAO and BAO promoted wound healing activity significantly in both the models. Higher rate of wound contraction (p < 0.001) with significant increase in protein content in the treatment groups (from 2.32 to 2.55) demonstrated stimulation of cellular proliferation and epithelization, which was further supported by histopathological reports. High skin breaking strength (mean value 393 in control was increased to the range of 535-572 in treated groups) proved a significant (p < 0.001) wound healing potential of E. alsinoides. Early dermal and epidermal regeneration in drug-treated groups also confirmed the positive effect.


CONCLUSIONS
Observation of higher healing power of alkaloid enriched-ointment compared with single alkaloid ointment corroborated the synergy mechanism.
a Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani Hyderabad Campus , Shameerpet , Telangana , India.
Senthi
S
Mahibalan
a Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani Hyderabad Campus , Shameerpet , Telangana , India.
Maria
M
Stephen
a Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani Hyderabad Campus , Shameerpet , Telangana , India.
Rohan Thekkedathu
RT
Nethran
a Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani Hyderabad Campus , Shameerpet , Telangana , India.
Rukaiyya
R
Khan
a Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani Hyderabad Campus , Shameerpet , Telangana , India.
Sajeli
S
Begum
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D027722:Convolvulaceae; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000470:Alkaloids; D009824:Ointments; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001622:Betaine
Convolvulaceae; excision; incision; shankhpushpi