Mangifera indica (Mango) Bark Therapy Potentiates Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats

Objective: One of the debilitating complications of diabetes mellitus is chronic foot ulcer. Mangifera indica (Mango) is a naturally occurring and widely cultivated plant with many health benefits attributable to its parts. The wound healing potential of its bark in adult diabetic rats was investigated.

Methods: The excised wounds of diabetic adult female wistar rats in groups of six were dressed with mango bark powder (MPD), mango bark ethanolic extract (MED), sofratulle (SD) and normal saline (ND) daily till healed. The corresponding control groups were MPC, MEC, SC and NC respectively. Every three days, the mean wound contraction rates were calculated from the measured wound areas. Granulation tissue was biopsied from an animal per group on day 3, 6 and 9 for histopathological evaluation and after healing, the scars of the remaining animals were biopsied for histology.

Results: The M. indica bark powder contained greater quantity of coumarins than the ethanolic extract; with terpenoids and steroids detected only in the powder. The MPD group had the highest mean wound contraction rates for the specified period. The mean wound contraction rates for the MPC group were significantly higher than those of the MED. The granulation tissues of the MPD and MPC groups had similar microscopic features to those of MEC, MED, SC, SD, NC and ND. Microscopy of the wound scars showed stratified squamous epithelia with abundant collagen fibres and blood vessels with dermal appendages seen in some of the groups.

Conclusion: Findings from this study showed that the M. indica bark.