Evaluation of Antioxidant, Toxicological and wound healing Properties of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. (Malvaceae) ethanolic leaves extract on different Experimental animal models

Objective: The present research article was conducted to study the toxicity profile, antioxidant potential and wound healing activity of ethanolic leaves extract of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. (ELEHR). Materials and Methods: In-vitro antioxidant properties were assessed using DPPH radical scavenging activity, Nitric oxide scavenging activity, and superoxide radical scavenging activity. Acute toxicity was performed to study the general behavioural pattern of mice and sub-acute toxicity studies were performed to study the toxic effects of the test extract on different biochemical and haematological parameters, body and organ weight and histopathology of liver, pancreas and kidney. Wound healing properties was evaluated using excision, incision, dead space and burn wound model. Results: Strong antioxidant activity was recorded in a concentration dependant manner for ELEHR in all three models. The toxicological evaluation of ELEHR revealed that it has a reasonable safety profile as there was no severe alteration. In the evaluation of wound healing properties, ELEHR treated group showed an enhanced wound contraction rate and epithelisation period in both excision and burn wound models, whereas in incision wound model wound breaking strength was significantly increased in extract treated group compared to control. Histology of the skin of healed excised wound also showed restoration to normal architecture in extract treated group. Wound healing activity was further substantiated by enhanced antioxidants and connective tissue markers which were estimated in dead space wound model. Conclusion: Thus ELEHR proved to be effective in wound healing which may be because of strong antioxidant properties and also possesses reasonable safety profile.