PHARMACOGNOSTIC SCREENING AND WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL LEAF EXTRACT OF CARICA PAPAYA (CARICACEAE) OIL ON BURN WOUND RABBITS

Wounds were probably the first medical problem faced by the human race. However it is interesting to note that the knowledge of wounds and their management remained in primitive and stunted stage. Plants contain different secondary metabolites that allow them to be useful in different parts of medicine, wound healing included.This study was aimed at investigating the phytochemical screening and wound healing activity of ethanol leaf extracts of Carica papaya on burn wound rabbits. The leaves were collected, cleaned, dried and pulverized. The powder was macerated in ethanol. The gotten mixture was concentrated and dried on a water bath. Different concentrations were mixed with 20ml Elaies guineensis oil to get the drug.The macroscopic and organoleptic screening, phytochemical screening, chemomicroscopy and proximate analysis was carried out on the extract using standard methods. The rabbits were given burn wounds and treated using the wound healing drug, normal saline (negative control) and silver sulfadiazine (positive control). The result of the phytochemical screening showed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, reducing sugars, steroids, tannins, alkaloids. The chemomicroscopy showed the presence of starch, calcium oxalates, and cellulose. The rate of contraction of wound of the rabbit treated with the drug concentration 0.5g/ml of the extract was the fastest and healed smoothly. Although, further investigational studies may be done to isolate the exact secondary metabolite responsible for its wound healing activity, this study confirms that Carica papya leaves contain secondary metabolites that can aid or promote wound healing.