Actividad cicatrizante del látex de Jatropha curcas (Angiospermae: Euforbiaceae) / Cicatrization effect of Jatropha curcas latex (Angiospermae: Euforbiaceae)

The wound healing effects of Jathopha curcas latex upon surgical wound produced in Balb/c mice skin, were studied with a modification of the Hoowes-Sooy-Harvey method. The effects of topical treatment using single 50 ul doses of latex at different dilutions (10 per cent to 100 per cent) was compared with a multiple dose treatment (four 25 ul/dose q12h, latex 5 per cent to 100 per cent). The single dose treatment with 10 per cent, 50 per cent or 100 per cent latex and the multiple dose treatment with dilutions between 5 per cent and 10 per cent, have a healing effect but only on males. The multiple dose treatment with 50 per cent or pure undiluted latex produced caustic lesions to treated skin