High-fat diet induced obesity and the effect of fructooligosaccharides on cardiac protein expression

Hypothesis: Obesity alters cardiac protein expression. Fructooligosaccharide modulates this effect. Design and Methodology: Rats fed AIN-93G chow were subsequently fed high-fat AIN-93G. The top 40% weight-gain category were allocated into control (CON), highfat (HF) and high-fat with fructooligosaccharide (HF-FOS) groups; n=10. Body weights were monitored. After 12 weeks, left ventricles were cryopreserved. Serum was stored for glucose and insulin estimations. Tissues were analysed by mass spectrometry using an Orbitrap with a nanospray source and EASY-nLC nano-LC system(ThermoFisher, San Jose, CA). Spectra were analysed with Sequest and fold changes with Scaffold Q+ (Proteome Software Inc., Portland, OR). T-Tests detected differentially expressed proteins (CON vs HF and HF vs HF-FOS) and mean (±SE) differences in body weights, glucose and insulin. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes revealed pathways containing overrepresented proteins. Hematoxylin and eosin sections were graded for hypertrophy and chi-squared analyses sought differences. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant with Benjamini­Hochberg corrections where applicable. Results: HF rats (549.4±17.1g) were significantly (p<0.05) heavier than CON (513.6±14.8g). Twenty-three proteins involved in mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism were differentially expressed (p<0.001) between the CON and HF. One hundred and thirty-two proteins involved in contractility, lipid/carbohydrate metabolism and signaling were differentially expressed (p<0.001) between HF and HF-FOS. HF cardiomyocytes were significantly (p<0.001) more hypertrophic than CON. Conclusion: High-fat feeding is associated with subclinical deviations in the cardiac proteome. Coupled to cellular hypertrophy this may influence myocardial compliance. Fructooligosaccharides modulates protein expression.

Efficacy of levofloxacin loaded non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection model in Sprague Dawley rats

Objective: To determine the efficacy of levofloxacin loaded niosomes in treating Sprague Dawley rats infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853). Design and Methodology: Three groups of six (6) animals were infected with a known dose of the pathogen i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa via the intraperitoneal (ip) route. At six (6) hours post infection the infected animals were treated with drug free niosomes (control), free levofloxacin (conventional) and levofloxacin trapped in niosomes (ip). Blood was collected via tail snips at days 0,1,3,5,7 and 10 for complete blood counts and viable bacterial counts by colony forming units (CFU/µl). At day 10 the animals were sacrificed and samples from the kidney, liver and spleen were examined for bacterial counts. Results: All animals in the control group succumbed to the infection; one animal from the conventional group died. All niosome treated animals survived. The mean lymphocyte count (X109) was lower for the niosome (7.258±1.773) versus conventional (17.684±10.008) (p<0.03) treated groups at day ten (10). Neutrophil counts (X109) were lower for the niosome (2.563±1.609) versus conventional (6.2±6.548) p<0.02) treated groups. The CFUs in the bloodstream were similar for both treatment groups; the niosome treated group showed greater reduction in liver, kidney and spleen CFUs versus the conventional group (1.33±2.074) vs (5.8± 3.74) (p< 0.043), (1.5±2.35) vs (9.6±8.65) (p< 0.038) and (3.8 4.71) vs (25.6 14.66) (p<0.007) respectively. Conclusions: Further work is recommended on niosomes as a drug delivery system to treat intracellular infections.

Moringa oleifera seeds increase serum cholesterol concentration in rats

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of Moringa oleifera (moringa) seeds on serum lipid concentrations in rats fed standard chow or high cholesterol diet. DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five equal groups and fed standard chow (control), standard chow + 1% moringa seed powder, 4% cholesterol diet alone, or 4% cholesterol diet + 0.5% or 1% moringa seed powder for 12 weeks. Moringa seeds and rat chow were crushed and mixed with cholesterol powder as required. Serum lipid concentrations were measured at weeks 0, 6 and 12, and fecal cholesterol concentration was measured at week 12. Liver and kidney functions were evaluated by biochemical assessment of relevant parameters including aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, creatinine and urea. RESULTS: Serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations were significantly elevated (p < 0.01) in rats fed the cholesterol diet alone or with moringa seed powder (0.5% or 1%) in comparison to rats fed standard chow. Fecal cholesterol concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in rats fed the cholesterol diet alone as compared to the control group. Moringa did not have a significant effect on serum and fecal cholesterol concentrations in rats fed standard chow. There was no significant difference in concentrations of liver and kidney parameters or relative organ weights between groups. CONCLUSION: Despite popular belief of antilipemic potential, moringa seed powder increases serum cholesterol concentration, specifically LDL, in the presence of a high cholesterol diet. Moringa seed powder inhibited the fecal elimination of dietary cholesterol in rats.

Frequency of detection of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp. in the faeces of wild rats (Rattus spp.) in Trinidad and Tobago

The study was conducted to determine the frequency of isolation of Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli O157 in the faecal samples of rats trapped across the regional corporations in Trinidad and to assess their resistance to antimicrobial agents. A total of 204 rats were trapped for the detection of selected bacteria. Standard methods were used to isolate Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli O157. Characterization of E. coli was done on sorbitol MacConkey agar to determine non-sorbitol fermentation, blood agar to determine haemolytic and mucoid colonies and by using E. coli O157 antiserum to determine O157 strain. The disc diffusion method was used to determine resistance to nine antimicrobial agents. Of the 204 rats, 4 (2.0%), 7 (3.4%) and 171 (83.8%) were positive for Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and E. coli, respectively. Of the 171 isolates of E. coli tested 0 (0.0%), 25 (14.6%) and 19 (11.1%) were haemolytic, mucoid and non-sorbitol fermenters, respectively. All isolates were negative for the O157 strain. The frequency of resistance to the 9 antimicrobial agents tested was 75% (3 of 4) for Salmonella, 85.7% (6 of 7) of Campylobacter spp. and 36.3% (62 of 171) for E. coli (P < .05; χ(2)).

Effects of ethylenediamine--a putative GABA-releasing agent--on rat hippocampal slices and neocortical activity in vivo

The simple diamine diaminoethane (ethylenediamine, EDA) has been shown to activate GABA receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems, partly by a direct action and partly by releasing endogenous GABA. These effects have been shown to be produced by the complexation of EDA with bicarbonate to form a carbamate. The present work has compared EDA, GABA and β-alanine responses in rat CA1 neurons using extracellular and intracellular recordings, as well as neocortical evoked potentials in vivo. Superfusion of GABA onto hippocampal slices produced depolarisation and a decrease of field epsps, both effects fading rapidly, but showing sensitivity to blockade by bicuculline. EDA produced an initial hyperpolarisation and increase of extracellular field epsp size with no fade and only partial sensitivity to bicuculline, with subsequent depolarisation, while β-alanine produces a much larger underlying hyperpolarisation and increase in fepsps, followed by depolarisation and inhibition of fepsps. The responses to β-alanine, but not GABA or EDA, were blocked by strychnine. In vivo experiments, recording somatosensory evoked potentials, confirmed that EDA produced an initial increase followed by depression, and that this effect was not fully blocked by bicuculline. Overall the results indicate that EDA has actions in addition to the activation of GABA receptors. These actions are not attributable to activation of β-alanine-sensitive glycine receptors, but may involve the activation of sites sensitive to adipic acid, which is structurally equivalent to the dicarbamate of EDA. The results emphasise the complex pharmacology of simple amines in bicarbonate-containing solutions.

Hypoglycemic and Hepatoprotective activity of fermented fruit juice of Morinda citrifolia (Noni) in diabetic rats

Morinda citrifolia is a medicinal plant used to treat diabetes and liver diseases. The fermented fruit juice of the M. Citrifolia (optical density = 1.25) was used to study the hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective properties in diabetes-induced rats. The rats were randomly distributed into 4 groups (control, diabetic experimental, diabetic standard, and diabetic untreated) of 6 each. Diabetes was induced by administering Streptozotocin (50 mg/kg body weight). Fasting blood glucose, body mass, liver tissue glycogen content, and the extent of liver degeneration were assessed. Diabetic experimental animals were treated with M. citrifolia juice (2 ml/kg, twice a day) and diabetic standard with reference hypoglycemic drug, glibenclamide orally for 20 days. Both the groups exhibited a significant reduction in blood glucose level of 150 mg/dl ñ15.88 and 125 mg/dl ñ3.89, respectively, as compared to diabetic untreated with FBS = 360.0 mg/dl ñ15.81, (P < .003). On 10th day of experiment, diabetic experimental animals exhibited a decrease in body mass (10.2 g, 5.11%) which increased significantly by the 20th day (6 g, 3.0%, P < .022). Histological study of liver tissue obtained from untreated diabetic animals revealed significant fatty degeneration as compared to other three groups. The data of this study proved the hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective activity of M. citrifolia.

Investigation of the wound healing activity of Carapa guianensis L. (Meliaceae) bark extract in rats using excision, incision, and dead space wound models

The objective of our study is to investigate the wound healing activity of the bark extract of Carapa guianensis in rats using three different wound models. The animals were randomly divided into two groups of six each in all the models. Test group animals were treated topically with the bark extract (200 mg/kg of body weight), and the controls were treated with petroleum jelly in the excision wound model. In the incision and dead space wound models the test group animals were treated with the extract of C. guianensis (200 mg/kg/day) orally by mixing in drinking water, and the control group animals were maintained with plain drinking water. Healing was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, period of epithelialization, skin breaking strength, granulation tissue weight, and hydoxyproline content. Antimicrobial activities of the extract against the microorganisms were also assessed. On day 15 extract-treated animals exhibited 99% reduction in the wound area compared to controls (93%). The extract-treated wounds were found to epithelialize faster than controls (P < .02). The skin breaking strength was significantly higher in extract-treated animals compared to controls (P < .001). The weight and hydroxyproline content of granulation tissue were significantly increased compared to controls. These observations support the use of C. guianensis is in the management of wound healing.

Wound healing potential of ethanolic extract of Kalanchoe pinnata Lam. leaf--a preliminary study

The extract of K. pinnata was evaluated for its wound healing activity by using excision wound model in rats. On day 11, animals treated with the ethanolic leaf extract exhibited 86.33% reduction in the wound area, compared to petroleum jelly treated control (69.36%) and the mupirocin treated standard (85.49%). The hydroxyproline content of extract treated animals was higher, as compared to control and the standard groups. Histological analysis was also consistent with the proposal that K. pinnata leaf extract exhibits significant wound healing potential. The increased rate of wound contraction and hydroxyproline content in the extract treated animals supports the claims made by traditional healers of the benefits obtained from the medicinal use of K. pinnata.

Seroprevalence of Hantavirus in Rattus norvegicus in Grenada, West Indies.

Hantavirus is an emerging zoonotic virus with potential for significant human disease and mortality. Rodents are the natural reservoir for the virus. This study reports the seroprevalence of hantavirus in brown rats (Rattus norvigicus) in Grenada. Serum samples from 198 brown rats were tested for the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to hantavirus using an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). A seroprevalence rate of 29.3% was found. This is the first report of hantavirus exposure in any species on the island of Grenada and documents the brown rat as a reservoir host on the island.

Seroprevalence of Hantavirus in Rattus norvegicus in Grenada, West Indies.

Hantavirus is an emerging zoonotic virus with potential for significant human disease and mortality. Rodents are the natural reservoir for the virus. This study reports the seroprevalence of hantavirus in brown rats (Rattus norvigicus) in Grenada. Serum samples from 198 brown rats were tested for the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to hantavirus using an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). A seroprevalence rate of 29.3% was found. This is the first report of hantavirus exposure in any species on the island of Grenada and documents the brown rat as a reservoir host on the island.

Investigation of wound healing activity of Lantana camara L. in Sprague dawley rats using a burn wound model.

Summary: Lantana camara is used in herbal medicine for the treatment of skin itches, as an antiseptic for wounds, and externally for leprosy and scabies. The objective of our study is to investigate burn wound healing activity of the leaf extract of L.camara in rats. The animals were divided into two groups of 6 each. The test group animals were treated with the ethanol extract of L. camara (100 mg kg-1 day-1) topically and the control group animals were left untreated. Healing was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, period of epithelialization. Antimicrobial activities of the extract against the specific microorganisms were assessed. The extract showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella Pneumoniae and E.coli. Extract treated wounds were healed in about 21 days which is not distinct from the controls. Our data suggest that L.camara has antimicrobial activity but not wound healing promoting activity on burn wound. Industrial relevance: Extensive work has been done on the L. camara and demonstrated the antimicrobial and fungicidal activity of its chemical constituents. Lantana oil is used for the treatment of skin itches and as an antiseptic for wounds. It has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of cancers, chicken pox, measles, ulcers, swellings, eczema. Our earlier work showed the healing activity on excision wound model. However, there is no data to support the wound healing activity of L. camara on burn wound. Hence, we have conducted the present study to explore the wound healing activity and the antimicrobial activities of L. camara against the specific microorganisms which generally infect burn wound.

Immunoreactivity of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide in submucosal neurons of the gastrointestinal tract of alloxan-diabetic Sprague Dawley rats

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) belongs to a group of peptides with the same prohormone precursor found in nerves in a wide range of tissues, including the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). VIP is also found in the central nervous system and autonomic ganglia where they exist as neurotransmitters. In the gut VIP is found in the submucosal and myenteric plexus and it modulates gut motility, specifically it contracts the longitudinal and circular muscle fibres and relaxes the pyloric and lower esophageal sphincters. Hypersecretion of VIP has been reported to result in watery diarrhoea-hypokalaemia-hypochlorhydria (WDHH) syndrome, characterized by hyper motility and dehydration. VIP has also been implicated as one of the neurotransmitters involved in erection, and some VIP analogues have been successfully used in the management of erectile dysfunction in diabetics. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the VIP-producing neurons in the GIT contribute to the reported decrease in the level of VIP in diabetics. Alloxan diabetic rats, maintained in hyperglycemic state for 60 days were sacrificed and specimens from their stomach and intestines were stained immunohistochemically for VIP-secreting neurons. Results showed that the imunoreactivity of VIP-secreting neurons in the submucosa of the stomach and small intestine were significantly reduced in alloxan-diabetic Sprague Dawley rats when compared with control. This result suggests that VIP-producing neurons in the GIT may play a significant role in the reported reduced levels of VIP in diabetics, and implies that VIP secreted by these neurons may contribute , in a paracrine manner, to some of the motility complications associated with diabetes mellitus.

Depletion of cardiac vagal motoneurons in the diabetic rat: a wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase neurohistomchemical study

The projections of vagal neurons to the heart were studied in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats using the Wheat germ Agglutinin-Horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) neural tracing technique. Experimental rats were rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in 0.5 M citrate buffer at pH 4.5 in a dosage of 60mg/kg body weight. The rats became diabetic within 24 hours of treatment with streptozotocin. The diabetic rats were maintained in a stable diabetic state by daily injections of insulin for 16 weeks. Age-matched control rats were injected intraperitoneally with the same volume of citrate buffer not containing STZ. The blood glucose level of control rats was confirmed to be within normal range prior to and 24 hours after injection. with citrate buffer. Control rats were also kept alive for 24 hours after citrate buffer injection. At the end of 24 hours the treated and control groups were injected with WGA-HRP, and sacrificed 48-72 hours after tracer injection. Transverse serial sections of frozen brainstem were prepared, processed for WGA-HRP neurohistochemistry, and examined under light and dark field microscopy. The analyses of the sections taken from the chronic diabetic rats revealed further WGA-HRP neurons in the nucleus ambiguous (nA) than sections taken from the control normoglycaemic rats. There was also sporadic labelling of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMNV) in the control rat but none at all in the diabetic rats. The depletion of labelled neurons in the diabetic rats compared with the normoglycaemic rats is indicative of impairment of retrograde neuronal transport of WGA-HRP in chronic diabetic state.

Bombesin Immunoreactivity in the stomach and small intestine of alloxan-diabetics Sprague Dawley rats.

Bombesin is a neuroendocrine peptide found in the submucosal nerve endings in the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. It is reported to stimulate the release of gastrointestinal hormones, control satiety, stimulate gastrointestinal motility, and also stimulate cellular proliferation which results in wound healing. Transient increases in bombesin concentration in the brain and serum (later followed by decrease in serum concentrations) have been reported in hyperglycemic states. The aim of this investigation is to determine the effect of hyperglycemia on bombesin secreting neurons in the submucosa of the GIT and the possible contribution of such changes to some diabetic complications. Result showed decreased immunoreactivity to bombesin in the sub mucosal neurons of the stomach and small intestine of alloxan-diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. We conclude that the reduced immunoreactivity of bombesin in these submucosal neurons, may contribute to the reduced paracrine-induced peristalsis, observed in diabetics. It may also contribute to poor wounds healing in diabetics.

Bombesin Immunoreactivity in the stomach and small intestine of alloxan-diabetics Sprague Dawley rats.

Bombesin is a neuroendocrine peptide found in the submucosal nerve endings in the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. It is reported to stimulate the release of gastrointestinal hormones, control satiety, stimulate gastrointestinal motility, and also stimulate cellular proliferation which results in wound healing. Transient increases in bombesin concentration in the brain and serum (later followed by decrease in serum concentrations) have been reported in hyperglycemic states. The aim of this investigation is to determine the effect of hyperglycemia on bombesin secreting neurons in the submucosa of the GIT and the possible contribution of such changes to some diabetic complications. Result showed decreased immunoreactivity to bombesin in the sub mucosal neurons of the stomach and small intestine of alloxan-diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. We conclude that the reduced immunoreactivity of bombesin in these submucosal neurons, may contribute to the reduced paracrine-induced peristalsis, observed in diabetics. It may also contribute to poor wounds healing in diabetics.

Effects of Hibiscus rosa sinensis L (Malvaceae) on wound healing activity: a preclinical study in a Sprague Dawley rat.

Hibiscus rosa sinensis (H rosa sinensis), a plant product, has been used for the treatment of a variety of diseases as well as to promote wound healing. The wound-healing activity of the ethanol extract of H rosa sinensis flower was determined in rats, using excision, incision, and dead space wound models and is presented in this report. The animals were randomly divided into 2 groups of 6 each in all the models. Test group animals in each model were treated with the ethanol extract of H rosa sinensis orally by mixing in drinking water (120 mg kg(-1) day(-1)), and the control group animals were maintained with plain drinking water. Healing was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, period of epithelialization, tensile strength (skin breaking strength), granulation tissue weight, and hydroxyproline content. The antimicrobial activity of the flower extract against selected microorganisms that infect the wounds was also assessed. Animals treated with the extract exhibited an 86% reduction in the wound area compared with controls, who exhibited a 75 per cent reduction. The extract-treated animals were found to epithelize their wounds significantly faster than controls (P < .002) and have shown significantly higher skin-breaking strength than controls (P < .002). The dry and wet weight of granulation tissue and hydroxyproline content were also increased significantly when compared with controls. The reported observations suggest H rosa sinensis aids wound healing in the rat model.

Influence of Helium-Neon laser photostimulation on excision wound healing in Wistar rats.

The importance of laser photostimulation is now accepted generally but the laser light facilitates wound healing and tissue repair remains poorly understood. So we have examined the hypothesis that the laser photo stimulation can enhances the collagen production in excision wounds using excision wound model in Wister rat model. The circular wounds were created on the dorsum of the back of the animals. The animals were divided into two groups. The experimental group (n = 12) wound was treated with 632.8 nm He-Ne laser at a dose of 2.1J cmƒ{2 for five days a week until the complete healing. The control group was sham irradiated. The parameters studied were wound area, period of epithelization and hydroxyproline. Significant increase in the hydroxyproline content (p<0.001) and reduction in the wound size (p<0.001) was observed in study group when compared to controls. The significant epithelization (p<0.001) was noticed. The experimental wounds were, on average, fully healed by the 15th day, whereas the control group healed, on average by 22nd day. Wound contraction together with the hydroxyproline and experimental observations suggested that low intensity Helium-Neon laser photo stimulation facilitates the tissue repair process by accelerating collagen production in chronic wounds.

Impairment of transneuronal traffic in Streptozotocin-induced diabetes, a WGA-HRP neurohistochemical study in the rat

Retrograde transport of Wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to Horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was used in labeling vagal neurons projecting to the stomach from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMNV) in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in the experimental rats by intraperitoneal injection of buffered STZ. Control rats were injected with an equivalent volume of the citrate buffer not containing STZ.The experimental rats, which became diabetic about 24 h after intraperitoneal injection of STZ, were kept alive for a period of 24 weeks to attain a chronic state of diabetes. Control euglycaemic rats were also kept alive for 24 weeks. At the end of 24 weeks, the two groups of rats were prepared for stomach surgery. Following anaesthesia laparotomy was performed and the stomach exteriorized. The anterior and posterior walls of the stomach were injected with 0.1 ml of 5 percent WGA-HRP in 0.5 M sodium chloride. Experimental and control rats were sacrificed 48–72 h after tracer injection by transcardial perfusion with normal saline, fixative and buffered sucrose.Transverse serial frozen sections of the brainstem were processed for WGA-HRP neurohistochemistry and analyzed under light and dark-field microscopy. The analyses of the sections taken from the chronic diabetic rats revealed fewer WGA-HRP labeled neurons in the DMNV than sections taken from the control euglycaemic rats. The depletion of labeled neurons in the diabetic rats compared with the euglycaemic rats is indicative of an interference with the mechanism of retrograde neuronal transport of WGA-HRP by chronic diabetic state.

Evaluation of wound healing activity of Allamanda cathartica. L. and Laurus nobilis. L. extracts on rats

BACKGROUND: Allamanda cathartica. L. is a perennial shrub used in traditional medicine for treating malaria and jaundice. Laurus nobilis. L. is a tree and has been used for its astringent, healing and diuretic properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the aqueous extracts of Allamanda and Laurus nobilis to evaluate their wound healing activity in rats.METHODS: Excision and incision wound models were used to evaluate the wound healing activity of both the extracts on Sprague Dawley rats. In each model, animals were divided into four groups of 10 animals each. In both the model, group 1 served as control and group 2 as reference standard. In an excision wound model, group 3 animals were treated with Allamanda (150 mg kg-1 day-1) and group 4 animals were treated with Laurus nobilis (200mg kg-1 b.w day-1) for 14 days respectively. In the case of incision wound model, group 3 and 4 animals were treated with the extracts of Allamanda and Laurus respectively for 10 days. The effects of vehicles on the rate of wound healing were assessed by the rate of wound closure, period of epithelialisation, tensile strength, weights of the granulation tissue, hydroxyproline content and histopathology of the granulation tissue.RESULTS: The aqueous extract of Allamanda promoted wound healing activity significantly in both the wound models studied. High rate of wound contraction (P < .001), decrease in the period of epithelialisation (10.2 ñ0.13), high skin breaking strength (440.0 ñ 4.53), significant increase in the weight of the granulation tissue (P <.001) and hydroxyproline (P < .001) content were observed in animals treated with the aqueous extract of Allamanda. Histological studies of the granulation tissue from the Allamanda treated group showed the presenceof a lesser number of inflammatory cells, and increased collagen formation than the control.

In Laurus nobilis treated animals, the rate of wound contraction, weight of the granulation tissue and hydroxyproline content were moderately high (P < .05). The histological study of the granulation tissue of the Laurus nobilis treated animals showed larger number of inflammatory cells, and lesser collagen when compared with the Allamanda treated group of animals. However, it was better than the control group of animals.CONCLUSION: The data of this study indicated that the leaf extract of Allamanda possesses better wound healing activity than the Laurus nobilis and it can be used to treat different types of wounds in human beings too.

Cecropia peltata L(Cecropiaceae) has wound-healing potential: a preclinical study in a Sprague Dawley rat model.

The plant Cecropia peltata is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of disorders. The objective of the study presented in this report was to screen the extracts of this plant leaf for its wound-healing properties based on its traditional use for wound healing. Aqueous and ethanol extracts were prepared for topical and oral administration. The dose studied was 150 mgkg(-1)day(-1) for 10 days, using the excision wound model in rats. Carboxymethyl cellulose (1 per cent) was used as control in topical and oral route studies. Animals were randomized to treatment or control, the experiment being done with prior ethical approval from the university. Wound areas were measured. On day 11, tissue was excised to determine the contents of protein, hydroxyproline, and hexosamine. Wound areas reduced statistically significantly in all treatment groups compared to respective controls (P < .001). Biochemistry and tissue histology outcomes were consistent with changes in the treatment groups. No differences were detected within the treatment groups. The study permits the conclusion that Crecopia peltata has wound-healing potential.