Polysaccharide extract of Caesalpinia ferrea (Mart) pods attenuates inflammation and enhances the proliferative phase of rat cutaneous wounds.

Pods of Caesalpinia ferrea, popularly used to treat inflammatory processes, were collected to obtain the polysaccharide-rich extract, presenting anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects in acute inflammation models. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and healing activities of the polysaccharide-rich extract from Caesalpinia ferrea pods (PEp-Cf) in the rat model of cutaneous excisional wound. PEp-Cf (0.025-0.1%) or 0.9% NaCl was topically applied in the wounds at dorsal thoracic region (2×/day) during 21 days for measurement of clinical signs (hyperemia, inflammatory exudate, edema, nociception), wound size, histopathological/histomorphometric, oxidative/inflammatory markers and systemic toxicity. PEp-Cf at 0.1% reduced wound area and increased ulcer contraction [days 2 and 10 (21-78%)]. PEp-Cf reduced clinical signs [days 2 and 5 (2.2-2.8×)] and modulated the healing inflammatory phase via stimulation of epithelialization (days 10 and 14), and inhibition of polymorphonuclears [days 2 and 5 (71-74%)], protein leakage [days 2 and 5 (28-41%)], nitrate [days 2 and 5 (2.2-6×)] and malondialdehyde [days 2 and 5 (46-49%)]. PEp-Cf increased the number of blood vessels [days 5 and 7 (3.1-9.6×)], fibroblasts [days 5 and 7 (2.1-6.4×)] and collagen [days 5 to 14 (1.5-1.8×)]. In conclusion, the topical application of PEp-Cf at 0.1% accelerates the healing process of rat cutaneous wounds via modulation of the inflammatory and proliferative phases, being devoid of systemic alterations.