Gel formulations of Merremia mammosa (Lour.) accelerated wound healing of the wound in diabetic rats

Background and aim: The treatment of diabetic ulcers is difficult because of defective blood vessels and frequent co-occurrence of bacterial infections. In a previous study, we found a water fraction of Merremia mammosa (Lour.) (Mm(Lour.)) had beneficial effects on wound healing in diabetic rats. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different gelling agents added to Mm(Lour.) water fraction gel on wound healing treatment in diabetic rats. Experimental procedure: Diabetic Wistar rats were divided into the following five groups: 1. positive control (Neomycin Sulfate 0.5% and Placenta Extract 10%), 2. negative control (distilled water), and 10% water fraction of Mm(Lour.) extract in 3. HPMC, 4. Carbopol, and 5. CMC Na gelling agents. The wound was made by the Morton method and treatment applied every other day for 25 days, then the wound healing process was observed. Data were observed and analysed using appropriate statistic tools. Results: Histopathology observation, VEGF expression and hydroxyproline levels showed a significant acceleration of wound healing in all treatment groups compared to the negative control group. This study showed all of Mm(Lour.) gel formulations could restore the delayed healing process on wound in diabetic rats and were equally effective in accelerating wound healing. CMC Na was the most preferable because it did not irritate. Conclusion: The results suggest that Mm(Lour.) water fraction in CMC Na gelling agent provided an option to be developed as a topical drug on diabetic wound healing treatment, showed by enhancement of collagen synthesis and angiogenesis.