Therapeutic potential and chemical profile of Dracontomelon duperreanum Pierre leaf extract: In vitro wound healing, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dracontomelon duperreanum Pierre, a member of the Anacardiaceae family, is widely distributed in temperate China and the tropical Indo-China region. D. duperreanum has been traditionally used as folk medicine for various ailments, including burns and wound care; however, there is a lack of scientific validation for most of its therapeutic claims.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aimed to analyze the chemical profile and to evaluate the antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and in vitro wound-healing activities of D. duperreanum leaf ethanolic extract. These properties of Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. extract were also evaluated for comparative purposes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: D. duperreanum leaves were collected from natural populations in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction was employed to prepare the leaf extracts with ethanol (>96 %) as the solvent. The chemical profile was investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity of the extract (initial concentration of 126 μg/mL) was assessed by using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were determined using the broth microdilution method. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was employed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the extract (47-379 μg/mL) on the L929 fibroblast cells. Effects of the extract (47-189 μg/mL) on cell migration and wound closure in the fibroblast monolayer were assessed using the in vitro scratch assay. Similar testing methods and conditions were applied to C. asiatica for comparison.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The D. duperreanum leaf ethanolic extract contains 45 compounds (identified by GC-MS), including 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; pyrogallol; sucrose; D-allose, linolenic acid; bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; phenol, 3-(4Z,7Z)-4,7-heptadecadien-1-yl-; dl-α-tocopherol; and γ-sitosterol as major bioactive constituents. The extract exhibited an IC50 value of 10.9 ± 1.05 μg/mL in the DPPH assay, demonstrating a significantly greater activity than the positive control, Trolox. The MIC values against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were observed between 25 and 50 μg/mL, and between 12.5 and 25 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the D. duperreanum leaf extract exhibited no cytotoxicity toward L929 fibroblasts up to 379 μg/mL and showed a proliferative effect. After 48 h, the extract promoted wound healing by 80.72 ± 3.35% (p < 0.01) at an extract concentration of 95 μg/mL, which was the most effective concentration among those tested. Meanwhile, the untreated control group showed a lower wound healing rate of 36.17 ± 1.79%. Compared to the C. asiatica extract under similar experimental conditions, D. duperreanum offers more potent DPPH radical scavenging activity, stronger inhibition against S. aureus, and promotes greater wound healing efficacy.

CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal the potent bioactive properties of D. duperreanum leaf extract, providing scientific evidence for its ethnomedicinal uses and reinforcing its relevance in both traditional and modern therapeutic contexts.