Unripe Rind and Pulp of Ananas comosus Accelerate Wound Healing in Diabetic Wistar Rat

Objective: One of the sequelae of diabetes mellitus is chronic foot ulcer. This study investigated wound healing propensity of the pulp and rind of Ananas comosus (a widely cultivated fruit with many health benefits) in diabetic wistar rats.

Methods: The excisional wounds of twenty four adult wistar rats with induced diabetes in four groups of six each were dressed with the pulp powder (PPD), pulp extract (PED), rind powder (RPD) and rind extract (RED) of A. comosus daily till healed. Also the mean wound contraction rates were calculated from the wound areas every three days. Granulation tissue was biopsied from an animal per group on day 3, 6 and 9 for histopathological evaluation. Each of these groups had a corresponding equal number control group with similar procedures performed.

Results: The mean wound contraction rates of the rind pulp diabetic (RPD) and rind extract diabetic (RED) groups paralleled those of their respective control group (RPC, REC) as they were not significantly different. Also amongst the diabetic groups, the rind of A. comosus demonstrated greater wound healing capability over the respective pulp counterpart (PPD, PED) as evidenced by significantly higher mean wound contraction rates. Histopathologic features of the granulation tissues and scars of the diabetic groups were similar to those of the control groups.

Conclusion: Although, both the rind and pulp of unripe A. comosus either in extract or powder formulation were shown in this study to possess excellent healing potentials in diabetic wounds, the rind appeared to be better off and may be a viable alternative to the wound dressing materials currently in use in the management of diabetic wounds / ulcers.