Investigating the extracts effect of Sickleweed, mullein and cardus marianus on collagen synthesis in diabetic wound healing

Hyperglycemia inhibits cell proliferation and collagen production in wounds and may lead to amputation. Today, using herbs to heal wounds such as diabetic wounds is very important. This project aims to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of Falcaria vulgaris, Verbascum spp and Silybum marianum plants on the healing of diabetic wounds and collagen synthesis. 50 male mice (10 non-diabetic and 40 diabetics with Streptozotocin) were used in this study. After anaesthesia and wounding on the backs of mice, the wounds of both sham and control groups were treated with Eucerin and three experimental groups were treated with hydroalcoholic extracts of Falcaria vulgaris, Verbascum spp and Silybum marianum for 5 days. The left and right wounds were treated with 25% and 50% Eucerin-based extracts in the experimental groups, respectively. Macroscopic imaging of mice wounds was performed. ImageJ software was used to measure the wound surface and the wound healing rates were calculated. Chromatography and ELISA test were used to measure the level of hydroxyproline to detect collagen. The results were analyzed by SPSS statistical software. The results showed that the wound closure rate (healing) was significantly increased in the treated groups with a low dose of Sickleweed and mullein extract (25%) and a high dose of cardus marianus extract (50%) compared to the control. The present study results showed that the hydroalcoholic extracts of the three plants Sickleweed, mullein and cardus marianus could be effective in increasing collagen and healing diabetic wounds.