Standardization and Wound-Healing Activity of Petroleum, Ethanolic and Aqueous Extracts of Ficus Benghalensis Leaves

Wound healing is the repair process of injury on the skin and other soft tissues. After injury, an inflammatory response occurs and tissue cells below the dermis begin to increase collagen formation. Later, the epithelial tissue is regenerated. There are three stages of wound healing process: inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. Traditionally, Ficus benghalensis plant has been used for wound healing but no clear scientific data are available related to this activity. The present work was designed to explore the wound-healing efficacy of petroleum, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of F. benghalensis leaves as evaluated on excision wound models. These leaves extracts were studied for their phytochemicals by means of different chemical tests. Parameters studied include the rate of wound contraction and period of complete epithelialization of incision wound. Student's t-test was used to analyze the results obtained from this study and confidence level P < 0.05 was considered significant. All the petroleum, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of F. benghalensis leaves were found to possess significant wound-healing activity, which was evidenced by decrease in the period of epithelialization and increase in the rate of wound contraction. The obtained results showed that all extracts of F. benghalensis leaves were capable of accelerated wound-healing activity comparable with a control drug.