Published online Jun 16, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i17.4035
Peer-review started: March 6, 2023
First decision: April 10, 2023
Revised: April 24, 2023
Accepted: May 16, 2023
Article in press: May 16, 2023
Published online: June 16, 2023
Processing time: 98 Days and 5.8 Hours
Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a serious health issue of diabetes mellitus that affects innumerable people worldwide. Management and treatment of this complication are challenging, especially for those whose immune system is weak.
To discuss the plants and their parts used to heal DFU, along with the mode of their administration in diabetic patients.
The original articles on “the plants for the treatment of DFU” studied in clinical cases only were obtained from various bibliographic databases using different keywords.
The search resulted in 22 clinical cases records with 20 medicinal plants belonging to 17 families on 1553 subjects. The fruits and leaves were the most preferentially used parts for DFU treatment, regardless of whether they were being administered orally or applied topically. Of the 20 medicinal plants, 19 reported their effectiveness in increasing angiogenesis, epithelialization, and granulation, thus hastening the wound-healing process. The efficacy of these botanicals might be attributed to their major bioactive compounds, such as actinidin and ascorbic acid (in Actinidia deliciosa), 7-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-galactin (in Ageratina pichinchensis), omega-3-fatty acid (in Linum usitatissimum), isoquercetin (in Melilotus officinalis), anthocyanins (in Myrtus communis), and plantamajoside (in Plantago major).
The validation of mechanisms of action underlying these phytocompounds contributing to the management of DFU can aid in our better understanding of creating efficient treatment options for DFU and its associated problems.
Core Tip: Due to the fact that diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) may result in osteomyelitis and lower limb amputation in diabetic patients, this exhaustive systematic review can offer clinically relevant treatments for DFU using natural remedies. This review focuses on metabolites from 19 medicinal plants that could contribute to DFU healing. The recovery time for DFU, the route of administration of medicinal plants, and a comparison of the treated group to the positive and negative control groups were also included in this study to better understand the beneficial effects of using botanicals in the management of DFU.