Wound-healing and antimicrobial properties of dichloromethane fraction of Dialium guineense (Wild) fruit coat

This research established the scientific bases for the folkloric use of the neglected Dialium guineense fruit coat in wound and microbial infection management in Nigeria. The phytochemical analysis of the crude extract, fractions and sub-fractions was performed by standard methods. Agar well diffusion protocol was adopted for the antimicrobial assay while the wound healing properties was determined by full thickness skin excision wound model. Phytochemical analysis showed high relative proportion of alkaloids (6.05 ± 0.98 %), saponins (3.91 ± 0.02 %) and tannins (1.86 ± 0.05 %). The only active fraction (DF) and sub-fraction (DF-5) were effective against Gram-positive (inhibition zone diameters, IZDs, 8-10 mm and 11-15 mm) and Gram-negative (IZDs, 15-19 mm and 16-21 mm) bacteria and fungi (6-8 mm) compared with 20-24 mm and 18-19 mm of the standard (ciprofloxacin) respectively. Fifty mg/kg of the DF-5 showed nearly equal percentage wound healing post-surgery days to Cicatrin®. The 50 mg/kg dose of DF and DF-5 showed more than 50 % wound healing at 10th day post-surgery, 50 mg/kg crude extract showed 54 % on day 14 while distilled water showed 56 % wound healing on day 17 with no sign of infection in all animal groups. All the treatments were significantly (P < 0.01) different from control (distilled water) in wound healing by the 10th and 17th post-surgery days. The studies revealed that the fruit coat, which hitherto was treated as wastes could be explored for antimicrobial and wound healing properties against the backdrop of continually emerging antibiotic resistant strains of microorganisms.