Assessment of Biological Activities: A Comparison of Pergularia daemia and Jatropha curcas Leaf Extracts

The present study was aimed to compare the wound healing, free radical scavenging and cytotoxicity potentials of Jatropha curcas and Pergularia daemia leaf extracts. Quantitative analysis for some phytochemicals; flavonoids, phenols, glycosides, tannins, saponins and alkaloids were carried out using standard methods. Herbal ointments containing 50% (w/w) methanol leaf extracts of Jatropha curcas and Pergularia daemia were formulated. Excision wound measuring 7x7 mm2 was created and the ointment applied topically on the wounded area which was measured at intervals of 4 days. Blank ointment (paraffin base) served as the negative control while Povidone iodine ointment served as the standard treatment. On the 16th day, rats treated with the standard drug (Povidone iodine) showed 82.1% wound closure; J. curcas -treated rats showed 91.3% wound healing while P. daemia treated rats exhibited 97.2% wound closure, indicating an efficacy of the formulations. The ointment formulated with P. daemia leaf extract had the best wound healing potential with very minimal scar formulation. The phytochemical screening revealed that the leaves of J. curcas and P. daemia contain tannins, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids and glycosides. J. curcas had appreciable amount of saponins, however, saponins were not detected in P. daemia. The LC50 values for J. curcas and P. daemia were 586.79 µg/ml and 344.26 µg/ml, respectively while that of the standard (Potassium dichromate) was 62.52 µg/ml. The crude methanol extracts of J. curcas and P. daemia possessed free radical scavenging activities with IC50 of 90.83 and 214.16 µg/ml, respectively while that of the standard quercetin was 50.71 µg/ml. The results obtained in this study strongly support the verbal claims on the use of these plants for wound healing. It also indicates that J. curcas and P. daemia are potential sources of natural antioxidants and are relatively safe for the purposes utilized.