Matricaria Chamomilla Extract Improves Diabetic Wound Healing in Rat Models

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a broad spectrum of complications and comorbidities. Delayed wound healing is a major reason for infections and further life-threatening complications; the process of vascularization and tissue regeneration as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant reactions of the body are impaired in DM. Matricaria Chamomilla (MC) is a herbal medicine which has antimicrobial, antioxidant and wound healing potentials.

In this study, these potentials are evaluated on full thickness diabetic excisional skin wounds by using stereological methods.

In this experimental study, 48 male Wistar rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes (50 mg/kg intraperitoneally) were divided into 4 groups (n = 12) randomly: MC 5% gel treated, MC 10% gel treated, gel-base treated group, and the control group receiving no treatment. After creating 1 cm2 wounds, rats were treated every 24 hours for 15 days. Volume densities of collagens, wound closure rate, volume density, length density, and mean diameter of vessels, and fibroblast proliferation, were examined and analyzed. P ≤ 0.05 was mentioned as statistically significant.

MC gels receiving groups showed hastened wound area reduction in contrast with gel-base and control groups (P < 0.05). Numerical density of fibroblasts, mean diameter and length densities of the vessels in MC groups were significantly higher than the control and the base groups (P < 0.05).

It is demonstrated that MC has the ability to improve wound healing by enhancing fibroblast proliferation and revascularization in diabetic skin injuries and has the potential to be considered as an alternative treatment.