Abstract:
Different concentrations of ethanolic extracts of Swietenia mahogoni and Carapa procera leaves were evaluated for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 using the agar well diffusion method. The extracts were also investigated for wound healing properties in white albino rats using the full thickness skin excision wound model. Twenty eight Sprague Dawley adult rats of both sexes were randomly divided into four groups. Animals in the test group were treated topically with 0.2ml of 20 mg/ml of the extract for 11 days post-surgery. The positive and negative control groups were treated with cicatrin ® powder (neomycin and bacitracin) and sterile distilled water respectively. The minimum concentrations of the extracts that inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli were 5 mg/ml & 10 mg/ml; and 2.5 mg/ml & 5 mg/ml for S. mahogoni and C. procera respectively. The extracts at the concentration of 20mg/ml did not inhibit growth of P. aeruginosa. On day 4 post-surgery, there were significant differences (P<0.05) in the mean percentage wound healing between groups treated with the extracts and sterile water. It was concluded that the ethanolic leaf extracts of S. mahogoni and C. procera have antibacterial and wound healing properties.
