Healing effect of Dillenia indica fruit extracts standardized to betulinic acid on ultraviolet radiation-induced psoriasis-like wounds in rats

Abstract

Context: Dillenia indica Linn. (Dilleniaceae) is traditionally used to treat skin inflammation. Objective: This study evaluated the healing effect of Dillenia indica fruit extracts on induced psoriasis-like wounds in Wistar rats. Materials and methods: Extracts were standardized to betulinic acid, including an aqueous ethanolic extract (AEE), ethyl acetate extract (EAE) and petroleum ether extract. Effects against lipid peroxidation were assessed in vitro. Wounds were created at rat tails (n = 12). Topical treatments were applied once daily for 7 days (1 mL of AEE or EAE at 5 or 50 mg/mL). Maximal dose was defined by the extract solubility. A 10-fold lower dose was also tested. Positive and negative controls were treated with clobetasol (0.5 mg/mL) or excipient. Half of each group was euthanized for histology. The remaining animals were observed for 20 days for wound measurements. Results: Yields of AEE and EAE were 4.3 and 0.7%, respectively. Betulinic acid concentrations in AEE and EAE were 4.6 and 107.6 mg/g. Extracts neutralized lipid peroxidation in vitro at 0.02 μg/mL, accelerating healing at 50 mg/mL. Complete healing in mice treated with AEE occurred 16 days after wound induction. This time was 14 and 12 days in mice treated with EAE and clobetasol. Compared to orthokeratosis, parakeratosis was reduced by AEE (25%), EAE (45%) and clobetasol (55%). EAE caused superior protection against biomolecules oxidation of skin compared to AEE. Discussion and conclusion: EAE exhibited activity closer to that of clobetasol. Betulinic acid may be an active constituent, which should be assessed in future studies.

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“…Complete healing occurred in the wound after 16 days for aqueous ethanolic extract group, 14 days for ethyl acetate extract group, and 12 days for clobetasol group. Para-keratosis was reduced by 25% in the group treated with aqueous ethanolic extract, 45% in the group receiving ethyl acetate extract, and 55% in the clobetasol treated group 18 .…”

Study of the potential adverse effects caused by the dermal application of Dillenia indica L. fruit extract standardized to betulinic acid in rodents

“…The eluates were monitored at 210 nm. Further details of extraction, standardization and phytochemical screening have been previously published [10].…”

“…This plant is native to Asian tropical forests and grows in central and southern India, reaching some regions of China and Oceania [6–9]. This plant was introduced in Brazil in the nineteenth century and is well adapted, mainly in the coastal region [10]. Its fruit are remarkable, hard and large, with a diameter of approximately four centimeters [7,11].…”

“…A large number of scientific studies on D . indica have shown that extracts derived from this species have various properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antidiarrheal, antioxidant and antileukemic effects [7,10,12–18]. Additionally, previous studies have shown that D .…”

“…indica fruit extracts that were standardized to betulinic acid on ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced psoriasis-like wounds in rats. The most promising results were obtained for the ethyl acetate extract, which contained the highest content of betulinic acid [10]. Because of these promising results, clinical studies to further examine the utility of this extract would seem to be needed.…”