Development of a semi solid formulation using extract of pine barks

Wound is deterioration of tissues that make up skin or mucosa and disruption of normal skin structure as a result of physical or chemical damage. Wound healing is a process consists of biochemical and cellular events leading to repair of damaged tissues. The wound healing properties of plants have been used since the first ages. In folk medicine, herbal treatments are often used for wound healing purposes. One of the species that have the wound healing property is Pinus (pine) sp. Many studies revealed that some pine barks extracts had wound healing activity. This study aims to determine wound healing activity of pine bark extracts and formulate a semi solid dosage form by using them. For this purpose, extracts of Pinus brutia, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus pinea barks which are pine species grown in Turkey, were used. Cytotoxic and wound healing doses of pine bark extracts were determined by in vitro cell culture assays. As a semi solid dosage form, gel formulations desingned and prepared with the Pinus brutia bark extract which had showed the highest wound healing activity. Physical appearance, homogenity and color properties of the formulations were evaluated at room temperature. Viscocity and pH measurements and rheology analysis were conducted for characterization of the gel formulations. In vitro dissolution study of the formulations were performed by using diyalysis bag method and drug release kinetics were calculated. In stability experiment, sample of the formulations were exposed to different storage conditions (4ºC, 25ºC, 40ºC) during 3 months. Analyses were performed on 0., 30. and 90. days and formulations were evaluated in terms of viscocity, pH, rheological and organoleptic properties.