THE EFFECT OF TOPICAL Α-MANGOSTIN DERIVED FROM MANGOSTEEN PEEL (GARCINIA MANGOSTANA LINN) ON THE HEALING OF ACUTE FULL-THICKNESS WOUNDS IN RATS (RATTUS NORVEGICUS)

Background: Wound healing is a complex biological process involving three main phases: inflammation, proliferation,
and tissue remodeling. Full-thickness wounds, which extend through the entire skin layer down to the subcutaneous
tissue, require effective therapeutic interventions to accelerate regeneration. Garcinia mangostana peel extract,
particularly its active compound α-mangostin, has demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial
properties. However, in vivo evidence regarding its topical effect on specific wound healing parameters remains
limited.
Methods: This laboratory-based experimental study used a randomized post-test only control group design with 16
male Wistar rats (12 weeks, 180–200 g) divided into four groups: control day-5, control day-10, treatment day-5, and
treatment day-10. A 2×2 cm full-thickness wound was created dorsally under ketamine anesthesia. Treatment groups
received 1% α-mangostin topical gel formulated from >90% purified extract. Wound tissues were collected on days 5
and 10 for histopathological evaluation. Healing was assessed through epithelial thickness, angiogenesis, and collagen
density using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson’s Trichrome (MT) staining. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v27 (Shapiro-Wilk, independent t-test, and Mann-Whitney; p < 0.05 considered significant).
Results: On day 10, the treatment group showed significantly higher epithelial thickness (p = 0.019), angiogenesis (p
= 0.017), and collagen density (p = 0.004) than controls. On day 5, angiogenesis (p = 0.017) and collagen density (p =
0.027) were also significantly improved, while epithelialization was not yet significant (p = 0.098).
Conclusion: Topical α-mangostin significantly enhances full-thickness wound healing by promoting early
angiogenesis and collagen formation, followed by improved epithelial regeneration. It shows promise as a
phytopharmaceutical candidate for wound therapy.