Wound healing potentials of aqueous pineapple (ananas comosus) extract - a preliminary report

Abstract

The wound healing potentials of aqueous pineapple extract (Ananas comosus) were evaluated in eighteen (18) adult male albino rats (152±1.6g) randomized into 3 groups following a 2cm full-thickness skin incision induced on their dorsum. Group A wounds were treated twice daily with aqueous pineapple extract (APE)(n=6), B -silver sulphadiazine (SSD) (n=6) and C- phosphate buffer saline (PBS) (n=6). All wounds were evaluated conventionally with gross and histologic wound healing indices. Wound edge oedema, hyperaemia and exudation were prominent in all the groups between days 0 and 1 of the study. Wound edge oedema was, significantly less (p<0.05) on day 2 in APE (30%) compared with SSD(83%) and PBS(100%), (APE< SSD< PBS). Wound hyperaemia was markedly less, on days 2 and 3, though not significant (p > 0.05) (APE< SSD< PBS). Wound exudation was significantly less (p<0.05) on day 2 in APE compared to SSD and PBS (APE<SSD< PBS). Wound contraction was significantly higher (p<0.05) between day 2 and 3 in APE group compared with SSD and PBS groups. Marked contraction was also observed between days 4 and 6 in APE and SSD groups (SSD> APE> PBS). The histologic changes observed on day 7 and 14 showed significant (P< 0.05) amount of Type 1 collagen, blood capillary regression and wound epithelialization in the APE and SSD groups compared with PBS group. Results of this study showed that aqueous pineapple extract possesses wound healing potentials compared to silver sulphadiazine and recommended for wound management in poor resource settings of third world countries