Evaluation of the Wound healing Potentials of Aqueous Topical creams Containing Aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica leaves as Bioactive Ingredient

Author(s): Kenneth Chinedu Ugoeze, Princewill Chukwuebuka Aja, Nkemakolam Nwachukwu, Bruno Chukwuemeka Chinko, Jude Nnabuife Egwurugwu, Kennedy Emeka Oluigbo

Background: Wound is one of the health indispositions with undesirable socio-economic impacts on the victim and those around them. Crude aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica leaves (AEAIL) retains verified potentials for wound healing. Developing the AEAIL into a topical aqueous cream could enhance its value in wound treatment.

Aim: The aim of this study was to formulate aqueous topical creams containing various concentrations of AEAIL as bioactive ingredients, evaluate their stability and wound healing activities in male Wistar rats using hydroxyproline (HXP) as a biochemical marker.

Materials and methods: Creams containing 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 % w/w of AEAIL were prepared, evaluating their stability up to 14 days and assessing their wound healing activities in male Wistar rats using DMSO, cholesterol and distilled water as controls.

Results: All the batches of creams were stable in colour, pH, viscosity, etc. and exhibited wound healing actions with the animals treated with the cream containing 1.5 % w/w of AEAIL demonstrating the highest tissue HXP level (p > 0.05). The tissue HXP levels in the animals treated with DMSO, cholesterol and distilled water were lower than those of the test creams (p < 0.05). There was significant marginal differences in percentage difference of their HXP level compared to those of the test creams (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica leaves formulated as aqueous cream was stable and retained its wound healing activities. This new formula could therefore be used in the treatment of body injuries.