Wound Healing Activity of the Ethanolic Extract of Vitex Negundo Linn. Leaves in Albino Wistar Rats: An Experimental Pharmacological Investigation

Background and Objective: Wound management remains a formidable clinical challenge worldwide, particularly in resource-limited settings where antibiotic resistance and high treatment costs necessitate efficacious plant-derived alternatives. Vitex negundo Linn. (Family: Lamiaceae), celebrated in Ayurvedic tradition as Nirgundi, has been empirically deployed for wound management across Asia for millennia. The present study aimed to furnish systematic pharmacological validation of the wound healing activity of the ethanolic leaf extract of V. negundo (EEVN) using two established preclinical models in Albino Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: EEVN was prepared by Soxhlet extraction (95% ethanol) and formulated as 2% and 4% w/w ointments. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 6): Group I (vehicle control), Group II (EEVN 2%), Group III (EEVN 4%), and Group IV (Soframycin standard). Wound healing was assessed in excision (500 mm² dorsal wound) and incision (6 cm paravertebral incision) wound models, measuring percentage wound contraction, epithelialization period, and breaking tensile strength. Regenerated wound tissue was subjected to biochemical estimation (hydroxyproline, hexosamine, total protein) and histopathological examination (H&E and Masson trichrome staining). Results: EEVN 4% w/w ointment produced statistically significant (p < 0.001) wound contraction (93.2 ± 1.6% vs. 75.8 ± 2.1% control on day 15), shortened epithelialization to 12.1 ± 0.4 days (vs. 16.8 ± 0.6 days control), and elevated tensile strength to 362.5 ± 9.7 g (vs. 212.4 ± 8.3 g control; p < 0.001). Biochemical analysis revealed 111.4% and 92.6% increases in hydroxyproline and hexosamine content respectively. Histopathological examination confirmed complete re-epithelialization, dense organised collagen deposition, and minimal inflammatory infiltration. EEVN 4% was statistically equivalent to the Soframycin standard (p > 0.05) across all parameters. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of V. negundo leaves exhibits robust, dose-dependent wound healing activity attributable to its synergistic anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pro-collagenic phytoconstituents, endorsing its potential as a safe, efficacious topical wound healing agent.