Veterinary use of Cassia nigricans Vahl: Donkey wound healing property

Introduction: Ethnobotanical studies conducted in different areas in Mali (West Africa) demonstrated that Cassia nigricans is a traditional wound healing remedy (Diallo 2000). Cissé in 2009 showed that the plant was the most reported one to treat animal wounds by breeders.

Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the wound healing property of C. nigricans on wounded donkeys.

Methodology: Donkeys naturally wounded during work were recruited by SPANA Mali (a donkey protection NGO) and classified in two groups of eight donkeys according to the location and size of their wounds. Group I was treated with C. nigricans and Group II with a control conventional wound spray. The plant material was composed of the areal part of C. nigricans which was dried and pulverized. A decoction was prepared with the powder of C. nigricans to clean wounds and the plant powder was applied onto the wound. The control used was a wound spray composed of gentian and oxytetracyclin. Dayly treatments were applied on a clean dried and measured wound. The size, the wound aspect and the treatment duration (number of day) were monitored during the healing process.

Results and discussion: The mean wound contraction speed in C. nigricans treated group was 1.66 cm²/day while 1.11 cm²/day for the control group. The mean wounds size were 38 cm² in C. nigricans group and 45 cm² in the control group. The mean treatment duration was 27 days for C. nigricans and 37 days for the control, the difference was not significative according to the student test. The results showed a good wound healing property for C. nigicans. Polysaccharides are reported to be responsible for this property. Diallo in 2000 showed that C. nigricans water 100 ^oC extract contained 79% of carbohydrates.

References:

[1] Diallo D. 2000. Doctorate Thesis University of Lausanne

[2] Cissé N.S. 200 Master thesis IPR/IFRA University of Bamako