Evaluation of Wound Healing Activity of Methanolic extract of Annona Squamosa Leaves in Hydrogel delivery system

Healing of wounds, whether from accidental injury or surgical intervention, involves the activity of an intricate network of blood cells, tissue types, cytokines, and growth factors. This results in increased cellular activity, which causes an intensified metabolic demand for nutrients and active drug therapy. There are various Phyto-active compounds which required for wound repair may improve healing time and wound outcome. Hydrogel is a cross-linked polymer matrix which has the potential to absorb and hold water in its network structure. Hydrogels act as a moist wound dressing medium and have the ability to absorb and retain the wound exudates along with the foreign bodies, such as bacteria, within its network structure. In addition to this, hydrogels have been found to encourage fibroblast proliferation by minimized the fluid loss from the wound surface and protect the wound from external harm necessary for rapid wound healing. Annona squamosa (Annonaceae). The Indian custard apple known to promotes wound healing as the leaves of the A.squamosa contain tannins and Vitamin C which promotes wound healing, anti-inflammatory and insecticidal activity. For evaluation of wound healing potential of hydrogel formulations various parameters like wound contraction & tensile strength were assayed. The result represents the reduction of wound area of the different groups over the period of 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th days. It had been seen that wound healing took place in case of animals treated with H2 and H3 formulations. The % wound contractions were found to be 82.9% and 80.3%, respectively at 20th day. The period of epithelization was 20 days for both the formulations. The drug content of the H2 (0. 25%w/w) was less than H3 (0.50%w/w), therefore H2 formulation was considered as best formulation. The tensile strength was also found to be best in H2 formulation as compared with standard.