Mast cell concentration and skin wound contraction in rats treated with Ximenia americana L

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate wound contraction and the concentration of mast cells in skin wounds treated with wild plum (Ximenia americana) essential oil-based ointment in rats. Methods: Sixty rats were submitted to two cutaneous wounds in the thoracic region, on the right and left antimeres. Thereon, they were divided into three groups: GX (wounds treated once a day with hydro alcoholic branch extract of Ximenia americana), GP (wounds that received vehicle), and GC (wounds without product application). Wounds were measured immediately after the injury as well as 4, 7, 14 and 21 days post-topical application of the extract. At these days, five rats from each group were euthanatized. Thereafter, samples were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and processed for paraffin embedding. Sections were stained with H.E, Masson's Trichrome and toluidine blue for morphological, morphometrical and histopathological analysis, under light microscopy. The degree of epithelial contraction was measured and mast cell concentrations were also evaluated with an image analyzer (Image Pro-plus®software) . Results: The extract treated group showed lower mast cell concentrations in the 4th day of lesion, as compared to GP (GX<GP=GC, p=0.029), as well as with increased contraction at 7th and 14th days, respectively (7th and 14th days, GX > GP = GC; p<0.05) . Conclusion: Ointment containing 10% X. americana induces a decrease in mast cell concentration, at the beginning of the healing process, and promotes early skin wound contraction in rats.

Fibrogenesis and epithelial coating of skin wounds in rats treated with angico extract (Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil)

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of angico bark extract (Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil) in the healing process of the skin of rats. METHODS: Twenty adult male rats were divided into four groups of five animals each, according to the respective postoperative days, as follow: G4, G7, G14 and G21. Each group received two incisions on skin and subcutaneous tissue in the right and left antimere of the thoracic region, separated by a distance of 2 cm. The right lesion was treated daily with saline and the left with the angico alcoholic extract (5%). At the end of each experimental period, the animals were euthanized and fragments of the wound area with the edges were removed, fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution and processed for paraffin embedding. Histological sections (5 μm of thickness) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Gomori trichromic and picrosisirus red for morphological and morphometric analyses. Statistical analysis was done by ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer test (p<0.05). RESULTS: Morphological analysis showed larger fibroblasts and a higher concentration of collagen fibers in skyn wounds treated with the angico extract. Morphometric analysis demonstrated a significant increase in the number of fibroblasts at 7th and collagen in 7th and 14th days (p<0.01) in wounds treated with the angico extract. CONCLUSION: The angico alcoholic extract (Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil) induces the acceleration of wound healing in skin wounds of rats. .