Possible Wound Healing Potential and Ethnopharmacological Profiling of Solvent-Fractionated Stem Extracts of Tinospora cordifolia: a Comparative Study with Marketed Dosage Forms in Bangladesh

Abstract

Tinospora cordifolia is a prominent medicinal plant used in traditional systems like Ayurveda to treat chronic conditions. This study evaluated the ethno-pharmacological activities of its stem and seed extracts across varying solvent polarities to validate its traditional uses. Extracts were prepared using n-hexane and methanol concentrations (0, 40, 80%). Assessments included phytochemical screening, GC-MS analysis, antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS), anti-diabetic assays (alpha-amylase inhibition), anti-inflammatory assays (HRBC membrane stabilization), and in vivo wound-healing assays using an excision model. The extraction yielded 42.31%. Phytochemical analysis identified alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, and saponins. Quantitatively, the n-hexane extract showed a total phenolic content of 21.61 ± 3.84 mg gallic acid equivalent/g and a flavonoid content of 0.236 ± 0.02 mg quercetin equivalent/g. The 80% M-Ex proved most potent for antioxidant (IC₅₀, 768 mg/ml) and anti-inflammatory (IC50, 717.23 mg/ml) activities. Conversely, the n-hexane stem extract exhibited the strongest anti-diabetic effect (IC₅₀ 651.31mg/ml). In wound healing, the 80% methanolic extractachieved 100% wound contraction by day 14. Solvent polarity significantly influences the therapeutic profile of T. cordifolia. Methanol-rich extracts are most effective for oxidative stress and wound repair, while non-polar fractions show specific promise for diabetes management.

Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 29(2): 261-268, 2026 (July)