Prior to the study, guava leaf extract was subjected to phytochemical analysis which revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids and tannins but without glycosides and saponins while physic nut leaf extract manifested the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, steroids and tannins but lacked flavonoids and saponins.

The study compared the effects of guava (Psidium guajava L) leaf and physic nut (Jatropha curcas) leaf extracts on the rate of wound epithelialization between the positive and negative treatments to determine which among these treatments is the most effective in treating induced wounds of mice (Mus musculus).

The study was laid out following the completely randomized design (CRD) with the following treatments: Treatment 1 Negative Control (Water), Treatment 2 Positive Control (Solcoseryl ointment), Treatment 3 - Guava Leaf Extract, and Treatment 4-Physic Nut Leaf Extract.

The result of the study revealed that on days 0 and 3, the treatment means on the length, width and area of wounds among all treatments showed a non-significant difference. On day 6, treatments 2, 3 and 4 had comparable response with a wound length of 0.775cm, 0.834cm, 0.710cm, respectively, however they are significantly different from treatment 1 with 1.058cm. For day 9, treatments 2, 3 and 4 had comparable means with length of 0.342cm, 0.559cm, 0.475cm respectively, however they are significantly different from treatment 1.

Treatments 1, 2 and 3 had comparable means on the width of wound of 0.304cm, 0.242cm, 0.300cm, respectively, but were significantly different from treatment 4 with 0.209cm on day 6. Treatment 1 with mean of 0.289cm and treatment 3 with 0.229cm were comparable with each other but were significantly different from treatment 2 with 0.154cm and treatment 4 with 0.184cm on day 9.

On area of wounds, treatments 2, 3 and 4 had means of 0.174cm2 0.249cm2 and 0.149cm2 respectively which were comparable with each other but significantly different from treatment I with mean of 0.317cm2 on day 6. Moreover, treatment 2 (0.056cm2) treatment 3 (0.135cm2) and treatment 4 (0.09cm3) had comparable means but were significantly different from treatment 1(0.234cm2) on day 9.

Treatments 2, 3 and 4 had inflammation until day 4 which were comparable with each other but significantly different from treatment 1 having inflammation until day 5.
Average number of days of complete healing of treatments 2 (11), 3 (12) and 4(11) revealed comparable difference among all treatments but were significantly different from treatment 1(15).

A total mortality of 33.33% was exhibited in treatment 4 which was not shown in treatments 1, 2 and 3. However, the mortality is believed to be minimized by reducing the physic nut leaves extract concentration.

Thesis (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)

Includes appendices and bibliographical references.