Anti-inflammatory and cicatrizing activity of Baphia nitida Lodd. exudates

Baphia nitida exudate (BNE) is used in folk medicine for the treatment inflammation and cicatrisation of wounds in Côte d'Ivoire. BNE was formulated into an ointment and tested at two dose levels for anti-inflammatory and cicatrizing activity against excision wounds created on dorsal areas of rats. Both provide evidence for the ability of BNE to inhibit the inflammatory condition and to accelerate wound cicatrization on the rats. The activity was found to be dose related, and BNE at 2% was found to be best dose for the two tests used. Phenylbutazone cream used as a positive control reference was significantly active in both systems. These results provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of the exudate of Baphia nitida as an anti-inflammatory and cicatrizing agent.