Qualitative Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Wound Healing Activities of Pistacia Palaestina Boiss. Extracts

Abstract

The current work was designed to undertake a qualitative phytochemical screening of various plant parts of Pistacia palaestina, and estimate antioxidant and wound healing activities for therapeutic applications. The qualitative phytochemical screening of the leaf and the fruit of P. palaestina was performed using different chemical tests. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity were determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride, and DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) methods, respectively. The extracts with the highest TPC and TFC were examined for their wound healing activity using an incision wound model on rats. The qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenols, tannins, flavonoids, carbohydrates, saponins, phytosterols, terpenoids, mucilages, and resins, whereas no coumarins, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, or anthraquinones were found. TPC and TFC were observed between (144.80 ± 8.81 to 489.79 ± 15.09 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract) and (18.34 ± 1.16 to 36.16 ± 1.05 mg rutin equivalent (RUE)/g extract), respectively. Methanolic extracts of leaves and fruits showed high antioxidant activity with IC50 about 5.16 ± 1.22 and 8.21 ± 1.87 μg/mL, respectively, which are slightly higher than ascorbic acid (IC50 = 3.52 ± 0.14 μg/mL). The prepared ointments from methanolic extracts significantly accelerated wound healing compared to a negative control group, as the final time of healing was 8.2 ± 1.30 (fruits), 9.6 ± 1.14 (leaves), 12 ± 1.22 (gentamicin ointment 0.1%) and more than 21 (negative control) days. In conclusion, P. palaestina could be used for the treatment of skin wounds.