Histological and morphometric assessment of cutaneous wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats treated with n-hexane extract of Leptadenia hastata

CONTEXT: A wound is defined as a loss or breaking of cellular, anatomical, or functional continuity of living tissues. Diabetes may delay the process of wound healing leading to development of chronic wounds. Healing impairment of diabetic wounds presents serious clinical problems for both diabetic patients and physicians worldwide. AIMS: This study aims to validate the use of Leptadenia hastata in the treatment of diabetic and nondiabetic wounds. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Diabetes mellitus was induced in twenty Albino rats using a single injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg i.p.). The rats were divided into four groups (III–VI) consisting of five rats each. In addition, ten nondiabetic rats were grouped into I and II. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Full-thickness excision wounds extending to the subcutaneous tissue were made on the mid-dorsal region, and rats in Group III–VI had their wounds treated with olive oil, 100 mg/kg of extract, 200 mg/kg of extract, and procaine penicillin, respectively. Rats in Groups I and II received olive oil and 200 mg/kg of extract, respectively, for 28 days. Wound areas were calculated, and histological sections of the wound area were analyzed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were statistically analyzed using GraphPad InStat software using one-way analysis of variance and expressed as mean ± standard error of mean and percentage followed by Bonferroni multiple comparisons test. RESULTS: Analysis of wound area in all groups revealed that the extract promoted wound healing in the diabetic rats by significantly (P < 0.05) increasing the thickness of the epithelial layers and stimulated collagen synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: The extract enhanced diabetic wound healing by reducing inflammation, increasing wound contraction and epithelialization.