The Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Berberis vulgaris on Wound Healing of Diabetic Wistar Rats

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common diseases of the endocrine system. Barberry (Berberis vulgaris), as a common herb incorporated in treatment of various diseases, is used as anti-itch and anti-microbial medicine as well as lowering blood sugar and blood pressure. In this study, the effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of B. vulgaris on skin wound healing of diabetic rats were investigated. Forty eight male Wistar rats weighting 180 to 230 g were divided into four groups: control group (non-treated non-diabetic rats), sham group (oserin-treated diabetic rats), experimental 1 group (non-treated diabetic rats), experimental 2 group (B. vulgaris extract-treated diabetic rats) and then, 3-cm-length cuts were created on the skin of the dorsal lumbar region and then the wounds were treated on a daily basis. Lesion length measurements were conducted during the experiments using a caliper. For the purpose of histological studies, wound samples were taken from each group and finally, statistical data analysis was conducted using the one-way ANOVA test in addition to the Duncan test performed using the SPSS software. The results indicated that the second experimental group had the best influence on wound healing compared to others. Accordingly, the B. vulgaris extract might be able to improve the wound healing process along with reducing the lesion length due to its anti-diabetic and antimicrobial effects in rats after 21 days.