Topical application of olive oil macerate of Momordica charantia L. promotes healing of excisional and incisional wounds in rat buccal mucosa

• Momordica charantia L. is used for wound healing in folk medicine.
• Wound healing activity of the olive oil macerate of M. charantia was evaluated.
• M. charantia macerate showed wound healing activity in in vivo wound models.

ObjectiveIn Turkish folk medicine Momordica charantia L. is used for wound healing. The aim of the present study is to investigate this folkloric knowledge and confirm the plant’s potential effect on buccal mucosa wound in the rat.DesignWound healing activity of olive oil macerate of Momordica charantia L. was investigated in linear incision and circular excision wound models created in the buccal mucosa of the rat. The tissues were histopathologically evaluated, moreover, hydroxyproline contents of the tissues were determined. The anti-inflammatory activity was also assessed by using Whittle method with some modifications.ResultsOlive oil macerate of M. charantia showed significant wound healing activity both in incision (45.1%) and excision (89.8%) wound models and demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity with the inhibition value of 31.3% at the dose of 100 mg/kg.ConclusionThe experimental data revealed that M. charantia showed significant wound healing and anti-inflammatory effect.