The wound healing activity of flower extracts of Punica granatum and Achillea kellalensis in Wistar rats.

More than 80% of the worldís population depend upon traditional medicines for various skin diseases (1). Recently, the traditional use of plants for wound healing has received attention by the scientific community (1, 2). Approximately one-third of all traditional medicines in use are for the treatment of wounds and skin disorders, compared to only 1-3 % of modern drugs (3). Wound healing is a complex process characterized by homeostasis, reepithelization, and granulation tissue formation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix (4). Reports about medicinal plants affecting various phases of the wound healing process, such as coagulation, inflammation, fibroplasia, collagenation, epithelization and wound contraction are abundant in the scientific literature (5, 6). A survey of the ethnobotanical studies, carried out in Iran, indicated the use of several of plant species by the inhabitants of the area, especially by those habiting the rural areas, for wound healing purpose (7-9). Punica granatum Linn., known locally as ìGolnar-e-farsiî, is an important medicinal plant in Iran whose flowers are used as astringent, hemostatic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and as a remedy for cut wound, bronchitis, diarrhea, digestive problems, man sex power reconstituent, dermal infected wounds and diabetes in Unani medicinal (Iranian Traditional Medicine) literature (7-9). This flower was also used for the treatment of injuries from falls and grey hair of young man in the traditional Chinese medicine (10). Punica granatum contains polyphenol compound named pomegranatate, ellagic acid, 3,3í,4í-tri-Omethylellagic acid, ethyl brevifolincarboxylate, urolic and maslinic acids, and daucosterol (11, 12). Achillea kellalensis Bioss. & Hausskn. a wellknown traditional herb used in tribal medicine of Iran is locally known as ìGolberrenjas or Bumadaran-e-Sabzekohî. The species of Achillea spp. have been used as a remedy for edema, burns, wounds, carminative, indigestion, skin infection, gastric ulcer, anti-bacterial, hemorrhage, dysmenorrhoea, enema and diarrhea (7-9). Achillea kellalensis monoterpenoids: camphor (34.0%), borneol (12.6%), α-thujone, cineol, bornyl acetate and camphene (13).