In Vitro Wound-healing Activity of Ziziphus jujuba and Its Anti-inflammatory Effects in Rats

Abstract

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) has a long history of use in traditional medicine. It has many pharmacological properties, including neuroprotective, antioxidative, hepatoprotective, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanolic extract of Ziziphus (EEZ) fruit and its wound-healing effect. The anti-inflammatory activity of EEZ was assessed in vivo by carrageenan-induced paw edema test. NIH-3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells were used to evaluate the wound healing effect of EEZ. The effect of the extract on wound-healing was examined by in vitro scratch test. Also, the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the serum of rats was determined using the CRP latex test kit. The ethanol extract of jujube fruit induced wound closure in NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells for 18 h (88.5%) at 1 μ\umu g/mL concentration. Also, EEZ significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced edema in rat paws. However, a statistically significant decrease in CRP levels was observed in rats pre-treated with EEZ. As a result, Z. jujuba fruit extract had anti-inflammatory and wound healing effects, which might be strongly related to its phytochemical composition.