~ 45 ~  International Journal of Herbal Medicine 2017; 5(6): 45-47 E-ISSN: 2321-2187 P-ISSN: 2394-0514 IJHM 2017; 5(6): 45-47 Received: 29-09-2017 Accepted: 30-10-2017 Jessy Jacob Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cheruvandoor Campus Kottayam, Kerala, India NA Aleykutty Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India Jyoti Harindran Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India Correspondence Jessy Jacob Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cheruvandoor Campus Kottayam, Kerala, India Evaluation of wound healing activity in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats by ethanolic extract of Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B. Heyne ex Roth Jessy Jacob, NA Aleykutty and Jyoti Harindran Abstract Wound healing is a complex process delayed by metabolic disorders like diabetic mellitus,it remains a crippling global health problem today leading to amputation of limbs and digits. Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B.Heyne ex Roth is said to be used for wound healing in many ethanobotanical studies. So, it was decided to check the efficacy of the same on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The extract was formulated as given in the literature by formulating a paste with 10gs, 15gs, 20gs of extract and 60gs black gram powder which was mixed with egg white and 2 or 3 drops of lime juice q.s. The wound healing efficiency by different concentrations of the extract was monitored by the excision wound healing method. The healing with the standard Framycetin Sulphate 1%w/w was taken as the positive control. The wound was completely healed by the 18 th day in the 20% extract while it took 20 days for complete healing in positive control and 23 days for complete healing in negative control. Thereby confirming the reports in the ethanobotanical studies with regard to the wound healing activity of the plant. Keywords: Diabetic rats, wound healing, Excision, Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B.Heyne ex Roth 1. Introduction Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B.Heyne ex Roth is prostrate herb which is a common flora of the western ghats and hence the significance of its use. Many ethanobotanical [1, 2, 3, 4] reports support the fact that the leaves of this plant are used for wound healing activity. Rajsekaran et al. [5] have proved the wound healing activity of the ethanolic extract, which was a determining factor in the take up of the study. Amputation of limbs due to chronic wounds in diabetes has proved to be a serious issue in the current therapeutic scenario, so, in the current study an effort was made to test the wound healing properties of the ethanolic extracts of Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B.Heyne ex Roth in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. 2. Materials and methods 2.1. Collection and preparation of Plant formulation. The leaves of Blepharis maderaspatensis were collected from the medicinal plant gardens of Anugraha Herbals, Kuruppanthara, Kottayam. It was identified, authenticated and the voucher specimen was deposited in the Pharmacognosy Department at Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Cheruvandoor Campus, Ettumanoor, Kottayam, Kerala. The leaves collected were shade dried and powdered in a mechanical grinder to give a course powder. The powdered drug was macerated in 95% ethanol (R.S.) for 72 hrs. Then filtered and the solvent evaporated using the rotary vacuum evaporator. The final extract obtained from about 1 kg of the powdered drug was about 130grams. Paste formulation 6 was prepared by taking10gs, 15gs, 20gs of the extract and mixed with 10gs of egg white powder, 1ml of lime juice and 60gs of Black gram powder and water q.s. to produce 100gs of smooth paste formula. 2.2. Excision wound healing method 7 Healthy adult wistar albino male rats were purchased from Govt. Vetinary College, Munoothy and housed at the animal house of Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Puhtuppally, Kottayam for two days before the experiment for acclamatisation. The animals were kept in hygienic as well as controlled conditions of temperature (25 ± 3 º C) and humidity (50 ± 5 %) and a 10-12 hrs of light and dark cycles were observed. The animals were housed individually in polypropylene cages with saw dust bedding as approved by IEAC of Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Puthuppally till the end of the study. The animals were maintained on normal diet and water ad libitum.