Wound healing cream formulated with <i>Kalanchoe pinnata</i> major flavonoid is as effective as the aqueous leaf extract cream in a rat model of excisional wound

Abstract

Leaves of <i>Kalanchoe pinnata</i> are used worldwide for healing skin wounds. This study aimed to develop and compare two creams containing a leaf aqueous extract of <i>K. pinnata</i> (KP; 6%) and its major flavonoid [quercetin 3-<i>O</i>-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside] (0.15%). Both creams were topically evaluated in a rat excision model for 15 days. On the 12^th day, groups treated with KP leaf-extract and KP major flavonoid creams exhibited 95.3 ± 1.2% and 97.5 ± 0.8% of healing, respectively (positive control = 96.7 ± 0.8%; negative control = 76.1 ± 3.8%). Both resulted in better re-epithelialization and denser collagen fibres. Flavonol glycosides are the main phenolics in KP leaf-extract according to HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. KP major flavonoid plays a fundamental role in the wound healing. The similar results found for both creams indicate that the use of KP crude extract should be more profitable than the isolated compound.