Objective : To evaluate the wound healing activity of the leaf extracts and deoxyelephantopin isolated from Elephantopus scaber Linn.
Materials and Methods : The effect of aqueous ethanol extracts and the isolated compound deoxyelephantopin from E. scaber Linn. (Asteraceae) was evaluated on excision, incision, and dead space wound models in rats. The wound-healing activity was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, period of epithelialization, skin-breaking strength, weight of the granulation tissue, and collagen content. Histological study of the granulation tissue was carried out to know the extent of collagen formation in the wound tissue.
Results : The ethanol extract and the isolated constituent deoxyelephantopin of E. scaber promoted wound-healing activity in all the three wound models. Significant ( P <0.01) increase in the rate of wound contraction on day 16 (98.8%, P <0.01), skin-breaking strength (412 g, P <0.01), and weight of the granulation tissue on day 10 (74 mg/100 g, P <0.01) were observed with deoxyelephantopin-treated animals. In ethanol extract-treated animals, the rate of wound contraction on day 16, skin-breaking strength, and weight of the granulation tissue on day 10 ( P <0.01) were 92.4%, 380 g, and 61.67 mg/100 g, respectively. Histological studies of the granulation tissue also evidenced the healing process by the presence of a lesser number of chronic inflammatory cells, lesser edema, and increased collagenation than the control.
Conclusion : The wound-healing activity was more significant in deoxyelephantopin-treated animals.

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