In vivo activity assessment of some Tanacetum species used as traditional wound healer along with identification of the phytochemical profile by a new validated HPLC method.

Objectives: Tanacetum species are traditionally used as insecticide, and externally wound healer as well as for anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic properties. The in vivo wound-healing and anti-inflammatory potential of four Tanacetum species, Tanacetum argenteum (Lam.) Willd. subsp. argenteum (TA) , Tanacetum heterotomum (Bornm.) Grierson (TH), Tanacetum densum (Lab.) Schultz Bip. subsp. sivasicum (TD), and Tanacetum vulgare L. (TV) was investigated.

Materials and Methods: The chloroform (CHCl3 ) and methanol:water (80:20) extracts were prepared from the aerial parts of each plant. For assessment of the wound-healing activity, linear incision on rats and circular excision on mice wound models were used and histopathological analyses were conducted on the tissues treated with the test materials. For the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity, Whittle Method based on the inhibition of the acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability was used. In order to elucidate the phytochemical contents of the extracts, HPLC profiles of active fractions were screened and quantitative analysis was conducted within the scope of HPLC analysis.

Results: The CHCl3 extracts of TD, TA and TV were found to have significant wound healing activity (37.1%, 30.8% and 26.1% tensile strength; 88.05%, 72.93% and 44.88% contraction values, respectively) and anti-inflammatory activities (31.5% and 26.6% inhibition values for TD and TA). Parthenolide content of the CHCl3 extracts of TA, TH and TV were found 242.66±1.53, 190.16±5.62 and 177.51±3.73 µg/100 mg plant material, respectively.

Conclusion: According to the results, the other secondary metabolites present in the aerial parts of the Tanacetum species possibly exerted synergistic effects on the observed healing of the wounds.