Healing with Nature: The Power of Tridax Procumbens in Wound Healing

Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of number years of drugs have been isolated from natural sources they have plays an important role in the treatment and management of different diseases. [1]

Tridax Procumbens also known as coat buttons or Mexican daisies, Tridax procumbens is a tiny blooming plant that belongs to the Asteraceae family.  In open areas, Tridax procumbens stands out for its distinctive growth pattern and daisy-like blooms. [2] Tridax procumbens has opposite, serrated-edged leaves and a low, spreading growth habit. The plant produces flattened achenes with a pappus for wind dispersion, as well as tiny yellow or white flowers in bunches.  It is frequently found in a range of environments, including grasslands, roadsides, and disturbed places, and it has been brought to many regions of the world.  The herb has long been used for customary purposes in many cultures.  Because of their potential medicinal effects, several parts of Tridax procumbens, including the leaves and flowers, have been utilized in traditional medicine.  Numerous ailments, such as skin, intestinal, and respiratory conditions, have been treated using the plant.  It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties, according to certain reports.[3]

FIG.1 Tridax Procumbens Linn

The Tridex daisy is one species of flowering plant in the Daisy family. It is native to tropical America and Asia. Africa and India in the area. This wild herb, known as "Bhringarj," is well known for treating liver diseases. [4] Ayurveda can be considered the best ethnological source for naturally occurring medicines with wound-healing qualities because it has the earliest evidence of this component. The treatment of Vrana (wounds) and Vranaropaka dravya (drugs that heal wounds) is deliberately explained in length in the Sushruta Samhita (c. 1000 BC). The etiology of a wound, or Vrana, is explained in terms of three stages: unsuppurted (Ama stage), early suppurated (Pachyamana stage), and fully suppurated (Pakva stage). This article outlines a set of 60 steps for wound treatment (Sasti Vrana Upakrama), which begin with the reduction of inflammation or the stage of an abscess and end with the correction of wound deformities or a scar that is aesthetically acceptable.  Specific symptoms for different phases of wounds are given in this book.[5,6]

SYNONYMS

• English: coat buttons,  Tridex daisy
• Latin: Tridex Procumbens Linn
• Hindi:  Khal muriya , Tal muriya , Ghamra  
• Sanskrit: Jayanti Veda
• Marathi: Gaddi Chemanthi, dagadi pala, Tantani
• Tamil: Vettukaya thalai, Thatha

TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Leaves: Tridax Procumbens has simple, serrated leaves that are grouped in a rosette at a base of the plant. They are  frequently divided or lobed, which gives the plant a distinctive look.
2. Blooms: Tridax procumbens is mainly recognizable for its blooms.  Their yellow core is encircled by white, yellow, or pink ray florets, giving them a daisy-like appearance.  Usually tiny and abundant, the flowers cluster at the apex of the branches.
3. Stems: The prostrate or trailing stems of the plant can grow up to 50 cm in length.  They have the ability to root at nodes , which enables the plant to grow and create thick mats.
4. Fruits and seeds: The disc florets  yield tiny, cylindrical fruits  known as achenes  following pollination A tuft of white bristles known as pappus atop each achene encases a solitary seed.  This pappus helps the seeds spread by the wind.[7]

FIG 2 : LEAVES

FIG 3 : FLOWER/ BLOOMS

FIG 4 : STEMS

FIG 5 : FRUITS AND SEEDS

TRADITIONAL USES

The flowering plant Tridax procumbens, a common weed, has several medicinal use. In India, it has long been used as an antibacterial, anticoagulant, insect repellent, and wound-healing agent. It is also used to cure boils and blisters. This medicinal plant is widely used as a hair tonic and as a traditional ulcer treatment. Its leaf decoctions were used to treat infectious skin diseases in traditional medicine. Plant infusions are a well-known ayurvedic treatment for liver problems because of their hepato-protective qualities. The extracts are also used to treat gastritis and heartburn.[8]  It is widely used to halt bleeding from wounds, cuts, and bruises throughout the healing process.  Along with high blood pressure and blood sugar, the herb is also used to treat severe diarrhea and dysentery.[9,10,11]

It can help prevent hair loss as well as promote hair growth.  The herb is also used to treat respiratory ailments.  It has potent immune-modulating and insect-repelling qualities.[12]  The leaves of the plant are used to treat conjunctivitis by tribal peoples and rural medical practitioners in West Africa and the tropical part of the world. [13]  This medicinal herb was also used in the ethnic system to cure jaundice and liver ailments.[14]  Ethanol decoctions of Tridax procumbens were also used to treat kidney stone issues.[15]

PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Flavonoids, alkaloids, carotenoids, hydroxycinnamates, lignans, phytosterols, tannins, crude proteins, crude fiber, soluble carbohydrates, and calcium oxide are all said to be present in the leaf and other portions of T. procumbens L. There have also been reports of fumaric acid, β-sitosterol, and the pentacyclic triterpenoid oleanolic acid.[16]  Flower extracts have been reported to include luteolin, glucoluteolin, quercetin, and isoquercetin. Tectochrysin-5-glucoside, echioidinin, pinostrobin, dihydroechioidinin, 5,7,8 trimethoxyflavone, skullcapflavone-2-methyl ether, androechin, tectochrysin, 5,7,2’-trimethoxyflavone, echioidin, skullcapflavone ii, andrographidine are among the other phytochemicals that are abundant in T. procumbens. [17]

PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

1. Wound healing activity

Activity for wound healing Applying this plant material to wounds entails a complicated interaction between dermal and epidermal cells, as well as plasma-derived proteins that are coordinated by a variety  of growth factors and cytokines. In experimental male wister rats, Tridax Procumbens (leaves) not only promoted healing but also overcame steroidally  depressed healing.  Additionally, because of the increased glycosaminoglycran concentration, this plant raises the lysyl oxidase, protein, and nucleic acid content in the granulation tissue. The plant can repair the tissue layers and cellular structure.[18]

Extracts from Tridax procumbens may help cure wounds, according to some research.  Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities may be the cause of this. Tridax procumbens has long been applied topically to aid in the healing of wounds.  According to certain research, the plant may speed up the healing process and lower the chance of infection. Tridax Procumbens has been traditionally used to treat wounds and injuries. This implies that, perhaps as a result of its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial qualities, it may possess qualities that aid in wound healing.[19]

2. Antimicrobial activity

It has been demonstrated that the entire Tridax plant possesses antibacterial qualities against a range of bacterial species.  A whole plant is squeezed between the palms of the hands to get its juice.  Fresh plant juice is applied twice a day for three to four days to help heal cuts and wounds.  The Tridax plant extract’s antibacterial properties only affected aeruginosa.  The disk diffusion method was used to test the antibacterial activity.  The test employed four bacterial strains: one Staphylococcus aureus strain, two Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis strains, and two Gram-negative strains of Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa.[20]

3. Antifungal Activity

The effectiveness of Tridax procumbens in treating fungal infections is still being investigated. It is best to seek advice from a healthcare provider before using Tridax  Procumbens or its extract for any medical purpose. You should also think about using it as a supplement to traditional antifungal medications. Many phytochemicals, such as flavonoids , alkaloids, tannins,  saponins and terpenoids, are found in Tridax procumbens. It is thought that some of these substances support its antifungal action and other therapeutic qualities.[ 21,22]

4. Anti-cancer Activity

The potential anti-cancer effects of Tridax Procumbens. It is noteworthy, nonetheless, that some research has indicated that it may have anti-cancer qualities. The following research and conclusions discuss Tridax procumbens and its possible anti-cancer effects:    

• • Apoptosis Induction: Damaged or aberrant cells self-destruct through the natural process of apoptosis. According to certain research, extracts from Tridax procumbens may cause cancer cells to undergo apoptosis, which could help stop the disease from spreading.
  • Inhibition of Angiogenesis: The development of new blood vessels  or angiogenesis, is an essential process for tumor growth and  metastasis. Tridax procumbens may contain anti-angiogenic qualities, according to some research, which could restrict the blood flow to tumors. [23]

5) Anti- Malarial Activity

The ethanol and water infusions have anti- plasmodial qualities that work against Plasmodium falciparum, which is resistant to chloroquine.  Although more research on the plant’s toxicity in animals is necessary, the decoctions show negligible toxicity to human red blood cells.  [24]

6) Anti-diabetic activity

According to history, the Indians were aware of diabetes mellitus as early as the prehistoric era.  Another word for diabetes is madhumeha, a condition in which a patient  has sweet urine and sugary bodily fluids such as perspiration, mucus, urine, blood, etc.  Various plants have been used practically to reduce blood glucose levels from ancient times, either as whole or in juice form. In rats with alloxan- induced diabetes, Tridax leaf extracts both alcoholic and aqueous, significantly reduced blood glucose levels.[25]

7) Antihypertension Activity

One such plant whose potential to reduce blood pressure has been studied is Tridax procumbens. Some of the plant’s bioactive substances, like flavonoids and phytochemicals, may be responsible for Tridax procumbens.  These substances have been investigated for their potential to lower blood pressure via relaxing blood arteries.[ 26, 27,28]

Wounds And Wound Healing Mechanism

Wound: A wound occurs when a physical, chemical, microbiological, or electrical insult disrupts the anatomical or functional continuity of living tissue. The process by which the body produces dermal and epidermic tissue is known as wound healing. When blood platelets come into contact with exposed albuminoid, the healing cascade is triggered. This causes platelet aggregation and the release of natural process factors  that lead to the  deposition of a protein clothes at the site of  injury.[29]

Wounds generate a great deal of financial burden for patients, in addition to having a detrimental effect on their physical and emotional wellbeing. Six million people globally are estimated to have chronic wounds, which can lead to multiple organ failure or even death.[30]  A wound, with or without disruption to the major connective tissue, is defined by the Wound Healing Society as a physical injury that causes a skin break or opening, interferes with normal skin anatomical function, and may result in epithelial instability. [31] The dynamic process of wound healing restores the normal structure and functions of damaged tissue; alternatively, it can be characterized as a survival mechanism that attempts to maintain the normal anatomical structure and function.[32,33]

The wounds are the main concern for both the patient and the physician’ ulcers can be larger than the patient and drastically lower their quality of life.  According to current estimates, 6 million individuals globally suffer from chronic  illnesses.  A section has been established to assess a few Indian papers regarding the specialized in treating chronic ulcers.  According to a different study, the community’s frequency of chronic ulcers was estimated to be 4.5 per 1000 individuals, while the number of malignancies quadrupled to 10.5 per 1000 persons.[34]  Natural treatments for a variety of skin conditions, including burns, cuts, and other wounds, have been increasingly popular in recent years. When it comes to wound healing treatments, remedies are safer than chemically expensive additions.[35]  Because it repairs damage to the wound, the skin goes through the healing process. Wound type, medical betting, and wound healing are the three main categories of wound healing. These square measures are referred to as primary, secondary, and tertiary wound healing.

1. Primary Wound Healing

Referred when medical professionals used sutures, glue, or other wound-healing techniques to close the wound’s foundation.  By sealing the wound during this period, less tissue is destroyed and the body may concentrate on cooling and closing a tiny area rather than the initial huge incision.  For instance, rather than waiting for the body to heal from all the wounds, a doctor could be able to repair a very large wound.

2. Secondary Wound Healing

occurs when severe tissue loss results from a wound that cannot be sutured. In these situations, doctors may leave a wound to heal on its own. This can be more prevalent in wounds that have a square measurement, an uneven surface, or a rounded edge in a specific body section where mobility precludes the use of stitching or other sealing methods. The body's healing process determines this. This lengthy process may result in a large wound, an increased risk of infection, and other complications like the need for bandaged medicine.

3. Tertiary Wound Healing

It happens when the wound-closing procedure needs to be delayed.  This can be required if medical professionals are worried that by sealing the wound, they could contract the virus.  Before closing the lesions in these situations, they will either wait for the healing process or the outcome of other therapies that call for time.[36]

Classification of Wound

Acute and chronic wounds are categorized according to the physiology of wound healing, while open and closed wounds are categorized according to the underlying cause of wound creation.

1. Open Wounds: A hemorrhage is visible when blood leaks out of the body and can be classified as any of the following: wounds from a bullet, puncture, abrasion, or superficial wounds, laceration or rip wounds, and incised wounds.[37]

2. Closed Wounds: Blood escapes the vascular system but remains inside the body in closed wounds, which include contusions or bruises, hematomas or blood clots, crush injuries, etc.

3. Acute Wounds: These can be tissue injuries that frequently lead to a prompt and orderly reparative procedure that gradually restores anatomical and functional integrity.[38]

4. Chronic Wounds: These are wounds that have not healed through the normal stages and have instead progressed into a state of pathologic inflammation. Medications, diabetes mellitus, deficiency disease, hypoxia, trauma, foreign bodies, and general issues like hypoxia, infection, and immunological disorders are the most common causes of chronic wounds.[39]  The body responds immediately to trauma or surgery-induced injuries. Before experiencing a complete repair, the injured tissue or wound also passes through three stages:

• The portion that is inflammatory
• The section on proliferation
• The section on remodeling 

By causing the wound to enlarge and become painful, the inflammatory area immobilizes it and sets the stage for healing, limiting movement. The structure is rebuilt by the fibro plastic portion, and the final type is provided by the remodeling section.

The Inflammatory Phase: This phase starts as soon as the damage occurs and typically lasts for 24 to 48 hours, though it can sometimes last up to two weeks. They start the hemostatic mechanism right away, preventing blood loss from the wound site. The clinically recognized cardinal indications of inflammation, rubor, calor, tumor, sadness, and function-laesa seem to be caused by the consequences. This region is characterized by constriction and protoplasm aggregation to facilitate clotting, followed by vasodilation and physiological mechanisms to produce inflammation at the wound site.[40]

FIG 6 : MECHANISM OF WOUND HEALING

The proliferative phase: The goal of this stage is to cover and fill the wound. Three separate phases make up the proliferative phase: covering the wound, sometimes referred to as epithelization, filling the wound, and contracting the wound edges. This stage lasts four to twenty-four.[41]      

The remodeling Phase: It is an essential & typically invisible step in tissue recovery; the end result of these conflicting processes is that the scar will heal the damaged tissue.[42]

Duration: Weeks to years following an injury.  The newly formed tissue grows and becomes more robust.  Collagen fibers realign and undergo remodeling along tension lines. There is less vascularization in tissues that are more stable.  This period may continue a few months to several years, depending on the size and extent of the incision.[43]

MARKETED PRODUCT OF TRIDAX PROCUMBENS