Evaluation of wound-healing activity of Acorus calamus Linn.

The aim of the present study was to assess the wound-healing activity of ethanolic extracts of Acorus calamus leaves. A wound was induced by an excision- and incision-based wound model in rats of either sex. The mature green leaves of A. calamus were collected and authenticated. Extractions of dried leaves were carried out with 80% ethanol in a soxhlet apparatus. For wound-healing activity, the extracts were applied topically once daily in conc. of 40% w/w and 20% w/w in the form of ointment and compared with a standard drug (povidion-iodine). The healing of the wound was assessed by the rate of wound closure, period of epithelialisation, tensile strength and weight of the granulation tissue, hydroxyproline content and histopathology of the granulation tissue. The ethanolic extract of A. calamus promoted wound-healing activity significantly in both the wound models studied. The histological study of the granulation tissue with 20% A. calamus extract ointment-treated animals showed a larger number of inflammatory cells and lesser collagen when compared with the 40% A. calamus extract ointment-treated animals. However, this was better than the control group of animals. Enhanced wound contraction, decreased epithelialisation time, increased hydroxyproline content and histological characteristics suggest that A. calamus extract may have therapeutic benefits in wound healing.