Lumami, Nagaland: A common plant compound called Sinapic acid has been found to heal diabetic wounds. As many as 6.3 million people suffer from diabetic foot disease globally.
The research was shown in a breakthrough study by Nagaland University and Lovely Professional University. Their findings have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Scientific Reports.
This is the first study in the world on the natural phytochemical Sinapic acid.
Where is Sinapic acid found?
Sinapic acid is a phytochemical found in edible plants such as spices, citrus fruits and berries.
How does it help?
The study found that Sinapic acid, when administered orally, helped to accelerate diabetic wound healing in preclinical models.
Why is this discovery important?
Healing of diabetic wounds takes a long time. It also leads to other complications, like foot ulcers and other complications.
The incidence of delayed healing is on the rise globally, say doctors dealing with diabetic patients.
As much as 15 to 20 per cent of the patients come with delayed and complicated cases due to diabetic wounds globally. There is an urgent need for safer alternatives to deal with this increasing problem of diabetic wounds.
Doctors have found that the current regime of drugs for diabetic wounds heals, but very slowly. These synthetic drugs need to be replaced with effective drugs which will heal faster and avoid complications.
Prof Pranav Kumar Prabhakar of Nagaland University, along with this team of researchers, stated that this new, natural and sustainable approach can reduce the time in diabetic wound healing.
Result of delayed healing
Delayed healing leads to the wounds spreading across the body and, in some cases, requiring amputation of the foot to save life.
In India, 1 lakh lower limbs are amputated every year due to diabetic wounds.
How does the treatment work?
According to the research, Sinapic acid works by addressing two issues:
Promotes tissue repair: The acid promotes the formation of new blood vessels and controls inflammation.
Fights oxidative stress: Oxidative stress is an imbalance in the body due to free radicals and antioxidants. Sinapic acid reduces oxidative stress and improves blood glucose levels. This helps the wounds heal.
Dosages and efficacy
The study was conducted on animal models, and it was found that Sinapic acid promoted faster and closer wound healing. Lower doses of Sinapic acid showed greater efficacy than higher doses, according to the model studies.
Researchers concluded that this oral therapeutic method is a cheaper alternative than the present regime of synthetic drugs, which are used for dealing with diabetic foot disease.
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