Effect of allicin on wound healing in experimental diabetes model

Diabetic foot is the most important complication of diabetes mellitus and affects the individual's quality of life, body image, role performance, the social-economic structure of the individual, family, and society and life negatively. Among the reasons for hospitalization, the diabetic foot has an important role with 20% in diabetic individuals. Because 34% of diabetic individuals live foot problems during a period of their life. More than 80% of the lower limb amputations carried out with the reason of non-trauma are caused by diabetes. Among diabetics, the complication causing most of the hospitalization is the diabetic foot. In summary, diabetic foot is the cause of job loss, disability and psychosocial trauma in individuals. Although many different care products are available today, the goal of reducing amputations by 50%, which is the main target in diabetic foot treatment, is not achieved. The most commonly used dressing materials in diabetics are saline and hydrocolloid dressing, but studies have shown that these care materials are inadequate to cope with the diabetic foot. In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of allicin on wound healing for the purpose of developing a care material that provides cost effectiveness in diabetic foot care, accelerates wound healing, shortens the closing time of wounds. The study was conducted between 5 February 2018 and 5 March 2018 at Ege University Laboratory Animal Research and Application Center. 50 Wistar albino rats, 25 male, and 25 female, weighing 200-300 grams were used. During the study, four rats died for various reasons. In the study, the rats were divided into five groups, with the male and female rats in the groups being equal. Three of the study groups were diabetic and two were non-diabetic. Diabetic rats were induced with 50 mg/kg streptozotocin. Rats with a plasma glucose level of 300 mg / dL at 24, 48, and 72 hours after induction were considered as diabetic. In this study, three wounds were formed on the back of all rats with 10 mm diameter and 15 mm gap between wounds. One of the diabetic groups was dressed with allicin, one with saline and one of the non-diabetic groups was dressed with allicin. No interventions were performed to groups one of the diabetic groups and one of the non-diabetic groups. The wound area was photographed and recorded on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. In addition, biopsies were taken from the wound area on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 and used for microscopic examination. When the wound area dimensions were examined, it was observed that the average of wound area in allicin groups was lower than other groups in all weeks. There was a statistically significant difference between allicin groups and control groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the diabetic Allicin group and the non-diabetic Allicin group. According to the microscopic findings of the study; Neutrophil and edema levels were lower in the allicin group than in the other groups. Mononuclear cell density on the 7th day in allicin groups, fibroblast proliferation, collagen level, angiogenesis, epithelization, the formation of skin appendix and fat tissue density was found to be higher than the other groups. As a result; Dressing with Allicin has been found effective in the treatment of both diabetic and non-diabetic wounds. Furthermore, it has been determined that washing wound with saline which used in diabetic wound care at present is not effective. Key words: Allicin, Diabetic Foot, Rat, Wound Care