The Healing Effect of a Two-Herb Recipe on Foot Ulcer in Chinese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2011-05-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
There is now a global epidemic of diabetes and obesity affecting more than 300 million people
worldwide with Asia in the forefront. In Hong Kong, diabetes affects more than 10% of the
population. Patients with diabetes have a 12-25% lifetime risk of developing a foot ulcer.The
abnormal metabolic milieus of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, pro-thrombotic
state and chronic inflammation in diabetes causes atherosclerosis.A significant proportion of
subjects have underlying peripheral arterial disease and neuropathy. These subjects are at
great risk of developing infective foot ulceration secondary to impaired vascular supply,
sensory loss and minor trauma.Without prompt and proper medical treatment, these infective
ulcers will deteriorate leading to gangrene and limb amputation. In-vitro and in-vivo studies
revealed that 5 out of the 12 herbs were effective in promoting fibroblast proliferation and
angiogenesis. To minimize potential drug interactions and adverse effects from multiple
components in a recipe of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the investigators have
developed a simplified formula from the 12 herbs consisting of only two herbs. In this
proof-of-concept study, the investigators hypothesize that the novel recipe of herbal
medicine will expedite healing of early foot ulcer by promoting vascularisation and
granulation as well as modulating inflammatory response.