Wound Healing Effect of Acacia nilotica and Curcuma longa Mixture

Natural products and their related moieties have historically been incredible as a source of therapeutic agents [1]. In last few decades, research into natural products in the pharmaceutical industry has showed incredible results. Current strategies of natural products followed by pharmacological testing have led to a renewed interest in natural products in drug discovery. The current paper is an evidence based result for positive wound healing effects for a mixture of two plants Acacia nilotica and Curcuma longa (AC) based on animal study in the laboratory.


Introduction
In the last few decades the Chemistry of Natural Products has touched a new horizon and developed as a separate discipline in itself. The importance of this field is that on one hand it is Organic Chemistry associated with plants, animals and marine products and on the other hand it is associated with plant biochemistry and utility in pharmaceutical industry.
Natural products and their related moieties have historically been incredible as a source of therapeutic agents [1]. In last few decades, research into natural products in the pharmaceutical industry has showed incredible results. Current strategies of natural products followed by pharmacological testing have led to a renewed interest in natural products in drug discovery. The current paper is an evidence based result for positive wound healing effects for a mixture of two plants Acacia nilotica and Curcuma longa (AC) based on animal study in the laboratory.

Medicinal uses pharmacological effects
A.nilotica also has numerous medicinal uses. The medicinal traits and pharmacological activities endorsed to various parts of A.nilotica are detailed as follows:Anti-hypertensive and antispasmodic activities; antibacterial and antifungal activities, antiplasmodial activities, antioxidant activity, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities, anti-diabetic activities, Chemo preventive, cytotoxic and anti-mutagenic activities, besides other multiplicities.

Traditional uses
Acacia used externally in traditional medicine to treat skin wounds such as burns, cuts, leprosy and internally to treat digestive issues, gonorrhea, dysentery, cough and colds. Traditional/Ethnobotanical uses: Turmeric has a warm, bitter taste and is used extensively as a food flavoring and colorant, it is a primary component of curry powders and some mustards. The spice has a long tradition in Asian medicine to treat problems ranging from flatulence to hemorrhage [5]. Use to treat ringworm, as a poultice, for pain, and in the management of jaundice and hepatitis has been documented [6,7] Turmeric is used as a dietary spice, coloring agent in foods and textiles, and a treatment for a wide variety of ailments. It is widely used in traditional Indian medicine to cure biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic wounds, hepatic disorders, rheumatism and sinusitis. Turmeric paste in slaked lime is a popular home remedy for the treatment of inflammation and wounds.
Miscellaneous uses: Turmeric is being investigated in clinical trials for the treatment and prevention of cancers, particularly of the gastrointestinal tract, and for treatment of colitis and Alzheimer and Huntington diseases. Curcuma used as mouth gargle for the inflammation of the oral mucosa and externally against the skin allergies, infected wounds, cosmetic and internally against hepatic, gastrointestinal disorders, and for anti-inflammatory diseases.
Source: Acacia nilotica fruits were collected fresh from ZCHRTM garden, Abu Dhabi, washed, dried and grind to make fine powder. Curcuma longa powder (Quality for medical use) purchased from Wadi Az Zafran, Khalifa Street, Souk Central Market, Abu Dhabi.

Preparation
A combination of Acacia and Curcuma (AC) was made by mixing them 3:1 respectively in gel medium.

Animals
Sprague Dawley (SD) strain rats (250-300 g.BW) housed as an outbred closed colony in ZHC animal facility kept in Makrolon Polycarbonate cages (41×28×24cm) with a high top wire lid and water bottle; sawdust bedding material changed twice a week.
Maintaining standard condition of 22-±2 oC room temperature, 12hrs. light/dark cycle, 60% humidity and 15-20 times air change per hour. Fed on standard chow (Animal Feed & Flour production and marketing Co. L.L.C.) and water supplied ad libitum.

Procedure
Eight male SD rats were used in this incisional experiment 4 treated and 4 control groups, using ether to calm the subjects, all animals' tail numbered and dorsally clean shaved. Using a scalpel, a longitudinal incision (wound) of whole skin thickness of about 4 cm was made on the shaved area of each rat's dorsum, they kept separate one animal per cage. The AC preparation applied topically using spatula one time per day to the treated group wound, which left open, the control group wound wiped only with dry cotton. The treatment continued daily for five consecutive days. After twelve days, the animals sacrificed. A square of about 4x4cm of the wounded skin taken from each subject of the two groups control and treated, then evaluated for wound-breaking strength by measuring the tensile force using Chatillon Digital Force Gouge (DFIS2) after modification by using two teeth shaped clamps. One of the clamps connected to the (DFIS2), and the other connected to a plastic water container by a wire and the skin square fixed to each clamp parallel to the incision, between the tensile strength measuring device and the water container as weight. Then the water gradually added into the plastic container to contract the skin. When the skin started to break and separate, the stop button is pressed and the reading is collected from the device LCD screen, recorded, entered and statistically analyzed using T-test (p< 0.05), (MeanSE = 0.770.071 vs 1.050.022, P= < 0.01) [11][12][13][14][15][16].

Conclusion
The combination of two plant mixture (AC) preparation was found very significant in wound healing as compared with the control group Figure 1