EVALUATION OF THE WOUND HEALING EFFECT OF THE SEED POD OF PENTACLETHRA MACROPHYLLA BENTH IN DIABETIC FOOT ULCER

Introduction: Pentaclethra macrophylla, commonly referred to as the Oil Bean tree, is an indigenous plant in tropical Africa with extensive historical application in traditional medicine for addressing various health issues. Notably, the seed pod, considered a byproduct, has received scant attention despite studies highlighting the wound healing attributes of the seed. Limited research has been conducted on the seed pods of Pentaclethra macrophylla. This study aimed to assess the wound healing efficacy of Pentaclethra macrophylla seed pod extracts on diabetic foot ulcers.

Methods: The seed pod was pulverized, the sample extracted using a mixture of two solvents: dichloromethane and methanol in a 1:1 ratio, followed by drying on a rotary evaporator. Phytochemical analysis was carried out using standard procedures, GC-MS analysis was carried out, and the extract was incorporated into cream formulations with different concentrations. The cream was topically administered to the rats to evaluate wound healing potential using an excision wound model over a 21-day period, while dermazin served as a positive control in the excision wound model.

Results: The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins and triterpenoid in the extract. The GC-MS analysis identified five bioactive compounds in the extract.  The wound-healing assay results showed that the animal groups treated with the extracts exhibited notable wound-healing properties compared with the positive control group. In particular, the 4% n-Hexane, 4% methanol, and 2.5% methanol fractions along with glibenclamide demonstrated superior wound healing activity compared with the positive control group at P<0.05. This outcome may be attributed to the presence of phytoconstituents and the identified bioactive compounds.

Conclusion: The wound healing activities investigated showed that both the polar and non-polar extracts of the seed pods of P. macrophylla had very potent wound healing activities. These results provide a basis for further studies on the therapeutic potential of this plant in wound healing management.