Abstract
Wound repair can be disrupted by oxidative stress and enzymatic degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, and current synthetic treatments are often limited by side effects. While the leaves and stems of Ipomoea pes-caprae are known for their bioactivity, the flowers remain largely unexplored for their therapeutic potential. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity, enzyme inhibition, and wound healing potential of methanolic extracts from I. pes-caprae flowers (IPFME). Dried flowers were sequentially extracted with hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. Extracts were screened for total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH assay), after which the methanolic extract (IPFME) was further evaluated for anti-elastase and anti-collagenase activity, cytotoxicity (MTT assay), and fibroblast migration (scratch assay). Methanol extraction produced the highest yield (11.6%) and phenolic content (0.38 mg GAE/g ± 0.003) compared to hexane and ethyl acetate extracts. Antioxidant analysis revealed strong radical scavenging activity with IPFME showing an IC₅₀ of 0.06 mg/mL close to gallic acid (0.02 mg/mL). In enzyme inhibition assays, IPFME inhibited collagenase activity by 38.5% and elastase activity by over 90% at 1 mg/mL with inhibition levels comparable to EGCG. Cytotoxicity testing on MRC-5 fibroblast cells revealed an IC₅₀ of 0.05 mg/mL, establishing safe, non-toxic concentrations for subsequent assays. Scratch assays further demonstrated accelerated wound closure, with IPFME-treated fibroblasts achieving 95% closure within 24 h, comparable to ascorbic acid (AA). These findings highlight I. pes-caprae flowers as a promising source of natural antioxidants and enzyme inhibitors with significant wound healing potential. This multifaceted bioactivity — neutralizing free radicals, inhibiting ECM-degrading enzymes, and promoting fibroblast migration positions the flower extract as a strong candidate for natural therapeutics targeting oxidative-stress-impaired wound healing.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Fatihah Nazar, Farah Anisah Abdul Razak, Dhia Airina Noor Salizam, Dhipan Raj Subramaniam, Khaizuran Shahiran Mohd Izhan, Thirukanthan Chandra Segaran, Suvik Assaw