Enhanced healing of full-thickness diabetic wounds using bioactive glass and Yunnan baiyao ointments

In order to accelerate the chronic wounds healing, we investigated the healing effects of bioactive glass and Yunnan baiyao ointments in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The ointments were prepared by mixing 45S5 bioactive glass powder (16% weight) with Vaseline and different weight percentages of Yunnan baiyao. Full-thickness defect wounds were created on the back of 130 SD rats and were randomly divided into 8 groups. The wound healing rates were calculated at 4, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days after surgery. The samples were harvested for further observations. Considering the wound closure rate, group 6 (with 5% Yunnan baiyao) has better wound healing performance than other diabetic groups. The lower inflammatory response was observed by gross observation and confirmed by the results of H&E staining and TEM observation. Besides, the proliferation of fibroblasts, the formation of granulation tissue, as well as the vascularization, were improved in group 6 compared to other diabetic groups. All results suggest that bioactive glass and Yunnan baiyao ointments can accelerate the recovery of diabetes-impaired skin wounds, and comparing to other diabetic groups, group 6 (with 5% Yunnan baiyao) has better healing effect.