Investigating the effect of botox on the secondary skin defect healing in diabetic rats

What is it about?

Abstract Background Delayed wound healing is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus, leading to chronic ulcers, infection, and prolonged recovery. Effective therapies are needed to improve both speed and quality of repair in diabetic conditions. Hypothesis/Aim This study evaluated whether botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) enhances healing of full-thickness skin wounds in diabetic rats. Methods In this randomised controlled study, 24 male Wistar rats were rendered diabetic with streptozotocin and assigned to two groups (n=12 each). A 20×20 mm dorsal full-thickness skin wound was created in each rat. The treatment group received 5 IU BTX-A injected intradermally around the wound; controls received saline. Wound closure was assessed on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Histological evaluation of angiogenesis, fibroblast proliferation, collagen deposition and inflammatory infiltration was performed on days 7 and 14. Data were analysed using Prism software with significance set at P<0.05. Results/Findings By day 7, wound closure was greater in the BTX-A group (40%) compared with controls (25%). Histology showed enhanced angiogenesis, higher fibroblast counts, increased collagen content, and reduced inflammatory infiltration in the treated group. By day 21, wound healing reached 95% in the BTX-A group versus 81% in controls. No adverse effects or toxicity were observed. Conclusions BTX-A accelerated wound closure and improved tissue repair in diabetic rats. Implications for clinical practice BTX-A may offer a novel adjunctive therapy for chronic diabetic wounds, but further preclinical and clinical trials are required to confirm safety and efficacy.

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