Evaluating the ethyl-acetate fraction of crude methanol leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum formulated as ointments for wound healing properties using the excision wound model

Ointment formulations of the ethyl acetate fraction of the crude methanol leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum was in this study evaluated for wound healing activities in rat using the excision wound model. The air-dried and pulversied leaves were extracted with methanol in a Soxhlet extraction apparatus to obtain the crude methanol extract. This was  subsequently shaken with ethyl acetate and to obtain the ethyl acetate fraction, which was later dried and used in two different concentrations ( 1% w/w and 2 % w/w to formulate simple ointments. The ointments were evaluated for wound healing properties using male albino rats (65 – 180 g) aged 3 – 4 months. Prior to this, the crude methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction were subjected to phytochemical studies to ascertain their phyto-constituents .The phytochemical studies showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and resins and absence of glycosides and saponins. The ointment formulations had wound healing activities which were time-dependent, but concentration independent. The ointment formulations containing the extracts showed more effective wound healing than the positive control, Cicatrin® a standard wound healing agent, with the ointment containing 1 % w/w extract having superior effects than the batch containing 2 % w/w, implying that the extract, at 1 % w/w concentration, can be exploited in ointment form, as a potential wound healing remedy. Keywords : wound healing, ointment, ethyl acetate fraction, methanol extract, Ocimum gratissimum, Cicatrin®