EVALUATION OF WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF BARK OF BOMBAX MALABARICUM
Bombax malabaricum, commonly known as Red silk cotton tree, is used in folklore medicine in fomenting, sealing of secondary infection, healing of wounds and skin eruptions. There was no scientific evidence justifying the use of bark of Bombax malabaricum, therefore the present study was aimed at evaluation of wound healing activity of the plant. In the present study the bark of Bombax malabaricum were studied for wound healing activity by incorporating extract in simple ointment base B.P. in concentration of 2% (w/w) and 4% (w/w) .Wound healing activity was studied in three types of model in rats viz. excision, incision and burn wound model. The results were also comparable to those of a standard drug, nitrofurazone in terms of wound contracting ability, wound closure time, tensile strength. The statistical data indicated that the wound with ointment containing 4% w/w alcoholic extract exhibited significant (P < 0.001) wound contracting ability and period of epithelization. Significant tensile strength was observed with both the ointment formulations 2% w/w and 4% w/w. The results of histopathological examination supported the outcome of both excision and burn wound models. The experimental data demonstrated that Bombax malabaricum displayed remarkable wound healing activity.