Inter. J. of Phytotherapy / Vol 2 / Issue 1 / 2012 / 54-58.

e - ISSN - 2249-7722
Print ISSN - 2249-7730

International Journal of Phytotherapy

www.phytotherapyjournal.com

WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF METHONOLIC EXTRACT OF

Martynia annua L. (MARTYNIACEAE)
B. Harish Babu* and S. Mohana Lakshmi
Department of Pharmacognosy, Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy,
A. Rangampet, Tirupati, Andhra pradesh 517102, India.

ABSTRACT
Martynia annua Linn. is commonly known in ayurveda kaakanassikaa belongs to family Martyniaceae. It
small herb found in throughout India and it is native of Mexico. The leaves of this plant are used for healing wounds
and also apply to tuberculous glands of the neck. Hence, the present study was aimed to evaluate its scientific validity.
The petroleum ether extract investigated for the evaluation of its healing efficiency on excision wound model in rats.
The effect produced by extract, in terms of wound contracting ability, wound closure, decrease in surface area of
wound, and tissue regeneration at the wound site were significant (p < 0.01) in treated rats. The present study thus
provides a scientific rationale for the traditional use of this plant in the management of the wounds.
Keywords: Martynia annua Linn., Wound healing, Excision wound.

INTRODUCTION
A wound occurs when the integrity of any tissue
is compromised (e.g. skin breaks, muscle tears, or a bone
fractures). A wound may be caused as a result of a fall, or
a surgical procedure; or by an underlying condition.
Types and causes of wounds are wide ranging, and health
care professionals have several different ways of
classifying them. They may be chronic, such as the skin
ulcers caused by diabetes mellitus, or acute, such as a
gunshot wound or animal bite. Wounds may also be
referred to as open, in which the skin has been
compromised and underlying tissues are exposed, or
closed, in which the skin has not been compromised, but
trauma to underlying structures has occurred (e.g. a
bruised rib or cerebral contusion) [1,2].
Wounds are physical injuries that result in an
opening or break of the skin. Proper healing of wounds is
essential for the restoration of disrupted anatomical

continuity and disturbed functional status of the skin.

Healing is a complex and intricate process initiated in
response to an injury that restores the function and
integrity of damaged tissues. Wound healing involves
continuous cellcell and cellmatrix interactions that
allow the process to proceed in three overlapping phases
viz. inflammation (03 days), cellular proliferation (312
days) and remodeling (36 months). Healing requires the
collaborative efforts of many different tissues and cell
lineages [3,4]. It involves platelet aggregation and blood
clotting, formation of fibrin, an inflammatory response to
injury, alteration in the ground substances, angiogenesis
and reepithelialization. Healing is not complete until the
disrupted surfaces are firmly knit by collagen. The basic
principle of optimal wound healing is to minimize tissue
damage and provide adequate tissue perfusion and
oxygenation, proper nutrition and moist wound healing
environment to restore the anatomical continuity and
function of the affected part.

Corresponding Author:- B. Harish Babu Email:- harish_bandi@yahoo.co.in

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Inter. J. of Phytotherapy / Vol 2 / Issue 1 / 2012 / 54-58.

In India, medicines based on herbal origin have

been the basis of treatment and cure for various diseases.
Moreover, Indian folk medicine comprises numerous
prescriptions for therapeutic purposes such as healing of
wounds, inflammation, skin infections, leprosy,
diarrhorea, scabies, venereal disease, ulcers, snake bite,
etc. More than 80% of the worlds population still
depends upon traditional medicines for various skin
diseases. Herbal medicines in wound management
involve disinfection, debridement and providing a moist
environment to encourage the establishment of the
suitable environment for natural healing process [5-8].
Martynia annua Linn. is commonly known in
ayurveda kaakanassikaa belongs to family Martyniaceae.
It small herb found in throughout India and it is native of
Mexico. The leaves of this plant are used for healing
wounds and also apply to tuberculous glands of the neck.
Fruit is used for anti inflammatory. Ash of fruit, mixed
with coconut oil applied on burns. Seed oil applied on
abscesses and for treating itching and skin affections [9].
The ayurvedic pharmacopoeia of India recommended the
seed of Martynia annua for arresting of graying of hair.
According to literature survey, the ethanol extract of
Martynia annua root is shown antifertility effect on male
rats and ethanol extract of M. annua seed have shown
hypotensive action in cat and effects on respiration and
nictitating membrane in rats [10]. Therefore, the present
study was performed to verify the folklore claim of
wound healing activity of Martynia annua (L.) on
excision wound model in albino wistar rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant collection
The leaves of Martynia annua Linn. Was
collected from Tirupathi , Andhra Pradesh, India. It was
identified and authenticated by Prof.Jayaraman, Plant
Anatomy Research Centre (PARC), Chennai, Tamil
Nadu. The voucher specimen PARC / 2009 / 348 was
preserved in our laboratory for future reference.
Preparation of extracts
The leaves of plants were dried in shade,
separated and made to dry powder. It was then passed
through the 40 mesh sieve. A weighed quantity (200gm)
of the powder was subjected to continuous hot extraction
in Soxhlet Apparatus. Percentage yield of MEMA was
found to be 19 % w/w.
Animals
Adult wistar albino rats weighing between 180250 gm of either sex. They were obtained from the animal
house in Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy,
Tirupati. The animals were maintained under normal
laboratory condition and kept in standard polypropylene
cages at room temperature of 30 2 and 60 to 65%

relative humidity and provided with standard diet and

water ad libitum. . Ethical committee clearance was
obtained from IAEC (Institutional Animal Ethics
Committee) of CPCSEA (Ref No. IAEC / XIII / 01 /
SVCP / 2009 - 2010). The rats were then divided into four
groups of six animals each.
Excision wound model
Animals were anaesthetized (light ether) prior to
and during creation of the wounds according to the
method of Morton and Malone et al. [11]. The hairs on
the skin of back surface of the animals were removed by
wiping with a suitable depilatory (Anne-French hair
removing cream) with the help of a cotton swab. A
circular wound of about 2-cm (400mm2) was made on
depilated dorsal thoracic region of animals by cutting the
skin of the animals by using forceps and scissors. The
entire wound was left open. The observation of
percentage wound closure was made on 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th,
13th and 16th days post wounding days [12]. The area of
the wound was marked by placing a transparency sheet
over the wound. The wound areas recorded were
measured in square millimeter by using graph paper. This
was taken as the initial wound area healing.
Experimental section
Group I : Control group with simple ontiment
base.
Group : Standard group received topical
II
application of Betadine (5% w/w)
ointment.
Group : Received 200mg/kg methanol extract
III
of Martynia annua L. topically
Group : Received 400mg/kg methanol extract
IV
Martynia annua L. topically
The simple ointment, standard drug and MEMA
200 and 400mg/kg was applied on wound everyday up to
16th day. The wound area of each animal was measured
on the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th and 16th days in square
millimeter by using graph paper. They were observed
thoroughly for epithelization and contraction of wound.
The complete epithelization was observed by fall of scab
without any raw wound area. Number of days required for
falling of scab without any residual raw wound gave the
period of epithelization. The post wounding day and
epithelization period are tabulated in the table. The
percentage protection was calculated on the 16th day by
using the following formula and tabulated in table
[13,14].
Percentage protection

100 (Final x 100)

Initial

Statistical Analysis
The results are presented as mean SEM and
subjected to One-way ANOVA followed by Dunnetts

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Inter. J. of Phytotherapy / Vol 2 / Issue 1 / 2012 / 54-58.

post test of six animals in each group. The values of

p<0.05 were considered significance.
RESULTS
The effect of Methanolic extract of leaves of
Martynia annua L. extract ointment on excision wound
model, the wound contracting ability in different
concentration was significantly greater than the control
group rats (i.e., simple ointment treated group).
Excision wound healing by contraction (wound
closing) and epithelization, the percentage of wound
closure or closure rate studied by recording the changes in
wound area at fixed intervals of time. MEMA showed
significant dose dependent wound healing activity at the

doses of 200 and 400mg/kg. The standard drug Betadine

showed more potent activity compare with control group
rats.
It was further found that all the four groups showed
decreasing of wound area from day to day. However on
16th day, the Group I showed 66.38% protection, (which
may be due to self-immunity of animals) where as the
Group II (i.e., standard) showed 98.45% protection. On
the other hand Group III (i.e., the 200mg/kg treated
group) showed appreciable wound healing activity of
82.16% protection as compared to standard group, where
as Group IV (i.e., the 400mg/kg treated group) exhibited
97.18% protection, which is closer to that of standard
Betadine indicating significant wound healing activity.

Table 1. Effect of Topical Application of Methanolic Extract of Martynia annna L. (from 1st day to 16th day)
Group

Treatment
st

1 Day
4650.44
4620.365

I.
II.

th

4 Day
445.50.763
3670.365*

Post wounding day

wound area in square millimeter
th
7 Day
10th Day
373.60.421
309.30.33
279.660.494*
251.60.49*

13th Day
221.10.557
93.60.33*

16th Day
157.330.33
7.160.307***

Control
Betadine
(5% w/w)
461.560.307
411.160.307
303.160.307
230.50.428
151.330.4216*
82.330.4216*
III.
MEMA
200mg/kg
467.330.33
3970.365
2910.36*
265.50.226
103.160.223*
13.160.278**
IV.
MEMA
400mg/kg
Values represent the mean SEM, n=6,
*P<0.05 Compared with Control, Dunnets t-test by ANOVA. The values of P<0.01 were consider significance.
Comparison between Group-I vs Group-III & IV, Group-I vs Group-II.

Percentage
protection

Period of
Epithelization

66.38
98.450

24.103
16.25

82.16

19.47

97.18

16.464

Fig 1. Effect of topical application of Methanolic extract of Martynia annua L. on Excison wound model

Wound area(mm 2)

500

Group-I
Group-II
Group-III
Group-IV

400
300
200
100
0

1stDay 4thDay 7thDay 10thDay13thDay16thDay

Days

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Inter. J. of Phytotherapy / Vol 2 / Issue 1 / 2012 / 54-58.

Epithelization period (Days)

Fig 2. Epithelization period of excision wound model

25

GROUP-I
GROUP-II
GROUP-III
GROUP-IV

20
15
10
5
0
GROUP-I GROUP-II GROUP-III GROUP-IV

Groups
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Wounds are referred to as disruption of normal
anatomic structure and function. Skin wounds could
happen through several causes like physical injuries
resulting in opening and breaking of the skin. The most
common symptoms of wounds are bleeding, loss of
feeling or function below the wound site, heat and redness
around the wound, painful or throbbing sensation,
swelling of tissue in the area and pus like drainage [15].
Wound healing is a very complex, multifactor sequence
of events involving several cellular and biochemical
processes. The aim in these processes is to regenerate and
reconstruct the disrupted anatomical continuity and
functional status of the skin. Healing process, a natural
body reaction to injury, initiates immediately after
wounding and occurs in four stages. The first phase is
coagulation which controls excessive blood loss from the
damaged vessels. The next stage of the healing process is
inflammation and debridement of wound followed by reepitheliasation which includes proliferation, migration
and differentiation of squamous epithelial cells of the
epidermis. In the final stage of the healing process
collagen deposition and remodeling occurs within the
dermis [16]. Study on animal models showed enhanced
rate of wound contraction and drastic reduction in healing

time than control, which might be due to enhanced

epitheliasation.
The phytochemical constituents methanolic
extract of Martynia annua L.has reported [17] that rich in
phenolics and have a strong antioxidant activity and
radical scavenging action. Similar finding have been
reported with extract of plant containing flavonoids by
earlier workers. The results of my study also revealed the
presence of flavonoids are one of important
phytoconstituents responsible for wound healing activity.
Topical application of methanolic extract of
Martynia annua L.. showed on increased rate of wound
contraction at wound site in exision healing model
produced significant wound healing activity in
conclusion, the observations and results obtained in this
study indicated the methanolic extract of Martynia annua
L. significantly showed stimulated wound contraction, it
also showed remarkable wound healing activity and it
may be suggested for treating various types of wounds in
human beings. Further studies with purified constituents
are needed to understand the complete mechanism of
wound healing activity of Martynia annua L.

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