Abstract

Diabetic patients exhibit delayed skin wound healing due to chronic hyperglycemia, which results in prolonged tissue recovery. In this work, a skin dressing was synthesized using three natural composites: chitosan, gelatin, and Zingiber officinale herb, commonly known as ginger (CH+GE+ZO). The dressing was applied to albino Wistar rats, which then received an intraperitoneal injection of Alloxan at a dose of 150 mg/kg. Incision caused skin wounds. The antioxidant markers were quantified. A histological study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the skin healing process. Analysis of the oxidative balance revealed a significant (p < .001) increase in enzymatic antioxidant activities in the CH+GE+ZO-treated group compared to the diabetic group. A considerable increase in non-enzymatic markers was observed compared to the diabetic group (p < .001). Histologically, the application of a composite synthesized by CH+GE+ZO dressing showed an improvement in the healing process, compared to controls, and a total recovery of wounds was observed around Day 13. This was characterized by a progressive reepithelialization, a structured organization of the layers of the epidermis, as well as a partial restoration of the cutaneous appendages. Overall, the synthesized biological dressing actively contributes to tissue repair and skin healing.

Key words: Healing, Diabetes, Wounds, Phytotherapy, Z. Officinale, Dressing, Antioxidant.