Comparative Phytochemical Analysis of Two Wound Healing Flora

Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob., shrub of Family Asteraceae and Hemigraphis alternata (Burm.f.) T.Anderson, herb of Family Acanthaceae are widely used as wound healers in local medicine. The leaf extract of both plants is used in local medicine which immediately prevent bleeding from wounds. The two plants possess several phytocompounds which can be cited as responsible for the wound healing process, but the presence of common phytocompounds in these two plants have not been worked out. Leaf extract studied using Gas Chromatography- Mass spectrometry method and phytocompounds identified by mass spectra. The comparative study of the components revealed the presence of common compounds including steroids, phthalates and sesquiterpenes - Diazoprogesterone, Diisooctyl phthalate and Caryophyllene derivatives causing blood clotting, wound healing, preventing inflammations and pathogenic attack. The presence of terpenes can be concluded as reason for the wound healing property as they have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action; presence of steroids may be accounted for the blood clotting process and the presence of pthalates considered as preventing infection in the wound areas. Isolation and optimization of components can help in modern medical practices instead of chemical combinations.