In vitro Antibacterial Activity and Wound Healing Properties of Ethanol Extract of Kigelia africana Fruit in Rats

Abstract

The uneasy task of treating various wounds infested with multi-resistant bacteria is an increasing problem, prompting the need for alternatives therapies to conventional drugs. This study aimed at determining the in vitro antibacterial and wound healing activities of ethanol fruit extract of Kigelia africana on albino rats using the excision wound healing model. The crude extract of africana fruit was obtained using 95% ethanol in a Soxhlet extraction system. Using standard procedures, phytochemical analysis, in vitro antibacterial activity (against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella typhi.), and the subsequent minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the extract were determined. Simple ointments of varying concentrations (3, 5, and 10% w/w) of the extracts were formulated and used to screen for wound healing activity on experimental rats in groups of five (n=4). The antibacterial activities showed that the extract was effective against all the bacteria. The MIC values ranged from 0.98 to 125 mg/mL, with best value of 0.98 mg/mL against P. aeruginosa, followed by 15.63 mg/mL against E. coli and S. aureus, and then 62.5mg/mL against S. typhi and K. pneumoniae. K. africana ointments significantly accelerated wound healing (P=0.000) with 5 and 10% w/w ointments having the highest percentage of wound contraction on the 18th and 20th days compared to the group treated with paraffin. The present study demonstrates that the ethanol extract of K. africana fruits contained bioactive compounds which promote an accelerated wound healing process and might harbour a novel therapeutic agent.