Histopathological evaluation of latex of Bellaco-Caspi, Himatanthus sucuuba (Spruce) Woodson on wound healing effect in BALB/C mice

Background and aim: Himatanthus sucuuba (Spruce) Woodson (Apocynaceae) is a medicinal plant known as "Bellaco-Caspi" widely distributed in Loreto, Peru. In the Peruvian traditional medicine, the latex of the plant is used for the treatment of wounds, inflammation, ulcers, and other ailments. This study aims to evaluate the wound healing effect of the latex of H. sucuuba in BALB/C albino mice.

Materials and methods: Thirty BALB/C male mice were used for wound healing study. In the experimental procedures, wound skin incision was performed at 2.0 cm in length until subcutaneous on the paravertebral of each animal. Under locally anesthetized with procaine cream, the treatment was conducted. All the mice were divided into three groups, the control group (A), zinc oxide cream (B), and H. sucuuba latex (C). The entire surface of the wound was treated for all the groups, and the treatments were performed daily for 15 days. The experiments were stopped on days 1, 7, and 15, respectively.

Results: The histopathological study of tissues revealed significant changes in wound healing effect in H. sucuuba latex compared to the control and B groups. Consequently, the mice treated with latex showed a significant reduction in epithelialization time and collagen formation. Furthermore, the latex showed a dose-dependent significant reduction of inflammation in the first 24 h of treatment.

Conclusion: BALB/C mice treated with the latex of H. sucuuba possess a wound healing effect that can scientifically prove the traditional use of the plant as a wound healing agent.

Keywords: Apocynaceae; BALB/C mice; latex; pathology; regeneration; wound healing.