Effect of a topical formulation containing Calophyllum brasiliense Camb. extract on cutaneous wound healing in rats.

This study evaluated the wound healing effects of topical application of an emulsion containing the HPLC-standardised extract from Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess (Clusiaceae) leaves in rats. The macroscopic analysis demonstrated that the wounds treated with the C. brasiliense emulsion healed earlier than the wounds treated with emulsion base and Dersani®. The percentage of wound healing in the group treated with the C. brasiliense emulsion was significantly higher than in the other groups at 7 and 14 days. On day 14, the animals treated with the C. brasiliense emulsion exhibited a 90.67% reduction of the wound areas. The histological evaluation revealed that on day 21, the group treated with the C. brasiliense emulsion exhibited a significant increase in fibroblasts compared with the other groups. Thus, the C. brasiliense emulsion had healing properties in the topical treatment of wounds and accelerated the healing process.

Efficacy of components from leaves of Calophyllum brasiliense against Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis.

Leishmanicide potential of Calophyllum brasiliense leaves on promastigote and amastigote of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis is evaluated. The LD(50) of dichloromethane extract and hexane fraction for promastigotes was respectively 40 microg/ml and 20 microg/ml. In mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with Leishmania amastigotes the Infection Index decreased respectively 100% and 84.2% in 80 microg/ml and 40 microg/ml concentrations of dichloromethane extract. Hexane fraction decreased infection index respectively by 98.7% and 91.3% within the same concentrations. It was found that pretreatment with dichloromethane extract or with hexane fraction of experimentally infected BALB/c mice decrease the volume of the lesions by L. (L.) amazonensis. Moreover, animals treated topically also revealed healing lesions. Besides, the parasite load in the animals' popliteal lymph nodes was significantly reduced in treated animals, showing that plant components actually control infection. Results show that crude extract and hexane fraction of C. brasiliense reveal a significant in vitro and in vivo leishmanicide activity.