Wound healing activity of Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. & Wendl. fruits

Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. & Wendl. (Family-Solanaceae), commonly known as Yellow-Berried Nightshade, fruits are used traditionally in the folklore for treatment of various kinds of wounds. The present study was undertaken to verify the effects of its fruits on experimentally induced excision and incision wound models in Sprague Dowlay rats. Aloe vera Linn. was used as standard wound healing agent. The methanolic fruit extract was formulated at 10% w/w in white petroleum jelly. In excision wound model, compared to the control, per cent wound healing was significantly higher (51.2%, 36% and 30% at 4, 8 and 12 day of wound creation) in S. xanthocarpum treated group. In incision wound model, tensile strength of the healing tissue after treatment was also found to be significantly higher (37.5%) as compared to the control. The results suggested that methanolic fruit extract of S. xanthocarpum possess significant wound healing potential.