WOUND HEALING, PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF LUFFA CYLINDRICA (LINN.) SEED EXTRACTS

The study investigates the wound healing and antimicrobial activities of extracts from Luffa cylindrica (Linn) seeds. The seed extracts (n-hexane, chloroform, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, butanol and methanol) were evaluated for wound healing properties in white albino rats using the full thickness skin excision model. Thirty-two female wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups. Animals in the test groups were treated topically with 1 ml of 200mg/ml of the extracts for 17 days post-surgery. The standard and control groups were treated with Neobacin® powder (neomycin and bacitracin) and sterile distilled water respectively. Significant (P<0.05) wound contractions were observed across the groups. Diethyl ether extract had the most prominent wound healing activity while chloroform was least active. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the methanol seed extract administered intraperitoneally in wistar albino mice was found to be 24.5 mg/kg. Different concentrations of the various extracts of L. cylindrica seeds were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against selected wound pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Candida albicans) using agar well diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of each were determined. The seed extracts were active against gram positive, gram negative and fungus; the M.I.C. of various extracts of seeds extracts range from 0.04-0.6 g/ml. Furthermore, phytochemical studies revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, flavonoids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, deoxy-sugar, terpenes, phlobatannins and alkaloid. The way the different extracts functioned on the selected wound pathogens depended on the phytochemicals present in the extract.