Antioxidant anti inflammatory and wound healing potentials of Foeniculum vulgare leaves

Abstract

Wound-healing is a complex mechanism, in which, the inflammatory phase is newlineconsidered to be the most critical, providing a conducive environment for the wound-healing newlineprocess. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory and wound-healing potentials of newlineFoeniculum vulgare leaves have been investigated. The study was conducted in three phases. newlineIn phase I, the chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of Foeniculum vulgare leaves, newlinewhich were found to be rich in enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants, were checked against newlinea battery of free radicals/oxidants (DPPH, H2O2, OHand#61623;, O2and#713;and#61623; and NO) for their antioxidant newlineproperty and biomolecule-protecting effects. The results revealed that the methanolic extract newlineof F.vulgare leaves exhibited better antioxidant potential and rendered protection to lipids, newlineDNA and proteins against oxidant-induced damage in vitro. In phase II, the methanolic extract newlineof F.vulgare leaves was evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity (acute and chronic newlineinflammation) and wound-healing potentials in vitro and in vivo. The results of the in vitro newline(heat-induced hemolysis, membrane stabilization, protein denaturation and proteinase newlineinhibition) and in vivo (carrageenan-induced paw edema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma) newlineanti-inflammatory studies revealed the strong anti-inflammatory activity of the methanolic newlineleaf extract. The in vitro scratch assay using HaCaT cell line and excision wound study in newlineexperimental rats demonstrated the wound-healing potential of the methanolic extract. The newlineextract also exhibited good anti-ulcer activity, in the aspirin-induced gastric ulcer study newlinein vivo. The bioactive principles in the methanolic leaf extract were ascertained by carrying newlineout various spectral and chromatographic studies like UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, newlineTLC, HPTLC, FT-IR, XRD and GC-MS in phase III. The results revealed the presence of newlinephenolic and flavonoid-type of components predominantly in the extract, in addition to newlinealkaloids, tannins, terpenoids and glycosides.