Phytochemical profile, acute dermal toxicity and wound healing activity of Guettarda calyptrata A. Rich

The leaves and barks of Guettarda calyptrata have been attributed to the property of healing wounds on the skin and mucous membranes. However, the scientific information about the phytochemical composition and biological properties is scarce. This research evaluates the chemical composition, dermal safety, and wound healing properties of a hydroalcoholic extract of G. calyptrata.

Hydroalcoholic extract of G. calyptrata was obtained from leaves. The phytochemical profile was analyzed by phytochemical screening, thin layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and quantification of phenols and flavonoids by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. An acute dermal toxicity test was performed in rats, and the healing activity was evaluated using the excision wound model at 100 mg/kg of the extracts. Statistical significance (P < 0.05) was determined by an analysis of variance followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test.

The presence of alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, rutin, and quercetin flavonoids, among others, was suggested. The extract did not cause toxicity at the dose of 2000 mg/kg and was able to reduce the size of the wounds during the seven days of the test, with a healing effect comparable to the silver sulfadiazine cream used as a positive control, favoring collagen deposition and re-epithelialization.

This work makes an important contribution to the chemical composition and provides the first findings on the efficacy in the healing of topical wounds, which justify the use of G. calyptrata in traditional Cuban medicine.