WOUND HEALING AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF THE METHANOL LEAF EXTRACT AND FRACTIONS OF Lannea barteri OLIV. ENGL. (ANACARDIACEAE) IN RATS

MBAOJI FLORENCE NWAKAEGO¹, PETER IKECHUKWU EMMANUEL¹, *, ONWUKA,

AKACHUKWU MARYTHERESA¹, NWEZE JUSTUS AMUCHE², AHAMEFULE CHUKWUEMEKA

SAMSON³, MBAOJI CYNTHIA CHIOMA¹

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

Lannea barteri Oliv. (Anacardiaceae) gained popularity in traditional medicinal practice in the treatment of

neurological disorders (madness, epilepsy and paralysis). It is mostly used to treat wounds, sores and leprosy in

the western and middle belts of Nigeria. The L. barteri leaf extract (LBLE) and fractions were assessed for their

wound healing and antimicrobial potentials. In incision wound model, 10, 20 and 40%w/w of extract and fractions

were used. Gentamicin ointment (1%) and sterile soft white paraffin served as positive and negative controls

respectively. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated in vitro using broth dilution method. The extract and fractions

caused a dose-dependent significant (p < 0.05) increase in the wound breaking strength with 40% n-hexane

fraction exhibiting the highest wound breaking strength of 650 g. All tested microorganisms were sensitive to the

methanol extract. Most of the organisms were susceptible to the fractions. E. faecalis ATCC 29219 was resistant

to the fractions. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimal biocidal concentrations (MBCs) of the

methanol extract and fractions against susceptible pathogens were in the range 1.67 to 100 mg/ml while the

minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of the fractions against A. fumigatus (Af293) and A. fumigatus (Ku80)

was 100 mg/ml. This study established that the methanol leaf extract and fractions of L. barteri potentiated wound

healing and inhibited the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. The study thus, validated the folkloric use of L.

barteri for the treatment of skin and wound infections and forms a strong basis for further exploration of the plant.

Email of correspondence: ikechukwu.peter@unn.edu.ng

KEYWORDS: Antimicrobial; Antifungal; Broth dilution; Incision wound; Lannea barteri; Wound healing.