Addition of Selenium to
Carica papaya Linn Pulp Extract Enhances Dermal
Wound Healing Activity
Nafiu B
Abdulrazaq, Haris B Akram, Dinie Najwa Bero, Mohd Yusof
bin Mohamad, Izzati Abd Malik and Mohammad Tariqur
Rahman*
Department of Biomedical
Science, Faculty of Science, International Islamic
University Malaysia Jalan Istana, Bandar Indera Mahkota,
Kuantan, Pahang 25200, Malaysia
*For
correspondence: E-mail:
tarique@iium.edu.my Tel:
+6095716 400 ext 2805; Fax: +6095716781
Received: 10 May
2012
Revised accepted:
3 January 2013
Tropical
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, February 2013;
12(1): 77-84
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v12i1.13
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the combined
effect of Carica papaya extract and mineral elements
wound healing.
Methods: Phosphate-buffered saline
(PBS) and water extracts of unripe Carica papaya. papaya
were analyzed for mineral element composition (Ca,
calcium; Mg, magnesium; Na, sodium; Fe, iron; Mn,
manganese; Zn, zinc; Ag, silver; and Se, selenium) using
a microwave-assisted digestion procedure. Atomic
absorption spectrophotometry was used for the analysis
of the elements. Phytochemical analysis was conducted
using standard protocols. Mice weighing 25 - 30 g were
anesthetized, shaved and inflicted with wound at the
dorsal region using a biopsy punch. The mice were
treated topically twice daily with or without 5 mg/ml
PBS or water extracts containing 100 or 200 µM Zn2+ or
1.0 or 0.5 µg/g Se2+. The standard (positive control)
group was treated with solcoseryl and the negative
control with deionised H2O. Wound area was monitored
with a camera and evaluated by software.
Results: PBS extract formulated with
Se2+. (0.5 or 1.0 mg/g) took approximately 9 days for
complete wound healing while negative control took 14
days and other treatment groups least 10 days. PBS
extract contained 9 % protein but no tannin while water
extract contained 0.58 % protein and tannins. Calcium
(137.98 mg/100 g extract) constituted the most abundant
macro-element while Se (32.14 mg/100 g extract) was the
most abundant microelement in C. papaya pulp.
Conclusion: Addition of selenium to C.
papaya extracts augments the wound healing activity of
the extracts.
Keywords: Papaya, Zn, Selenium,
dermal wound healing.
