Costus afer Stem Juice Extract Enhances the Expression of HAS3 during the Wound Healing Process

Among its various applications, the stem juice of Costus afer has gained attention in the scientific community for its potential in tissue repair and regeneration. This study was carried out to assess the expression of hyaluronic acid synthase 3 (HAS3) in wounds treated with C. afer stem juice extracts. Ninety-six adult Wistar rats were used for the study. The rats were equally divided into four groups: A, B, C, and D for each procedure. Each group was subdivided equally into four observational groups for the investigation of the healing process through 24 hours, 72 hours, 120 hours, and complete healing. The rats were wounded on their dorsum under ketamine hydrochloride anesthesia. The rats were treated only on the first day according to their groups. Group A wounds were left without treatment, group; B were treated with honey gel; group C were treated with heat-dried extract of C. afer stem juice; and group D was treated with freeze-dried extract of C. afer stem juice. The result of the study showed that both extracts showed similar patterns of HAS3 expression until the late stages of wound healing, during which expression of HAS3 in group D was decreased, while it was increased in group C. However, group D wounds showed the highest expression of HAS3 throughout the period of observation. In conclusion, the stem juice extracts of C. afer modulated the expression of HAS3 during wound healing, with higher expression levels from treatment with the freeze-dried extract.

Key Words: Wound Healing, HAS3, Costus afer