Abstract:
To evaluate the wound healing benefits of Andrographis paniculata (AP) and Vernonia amygdalina (VA) as a poly-herbal cream, using shear butter as the oil phase. Excision wound was inflicted on Wistar albino rats which were divided into groups of six rats each: Group 1 received no treatment while groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 were treated with the shear butter cream base (Sbc), AP, VA, AP+VA and SSD (Silversulphadiazine) respectively. Also antibacterial activities of the extracts AP, VA and AP + VA against typed Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Echerichia coli were determined. Wound healing on days 3, 6, 9 and 12 showed significant (P< 0.05) improvement in wound closure in the group treated with AP+VA as compared to the other groups. The healing of rats treated with AP+VA cream was higher than those treated with SSD when assessed in terms of wound closure, epithelization and fresh hair growth. AP+VA also showed remarkable antibacterial activity against the three screened pathogens. The study showed enhanced wound healing for the polyherbal cream: AP+VA, in comparison to AP and VA as well as SSD.
