Propolis as Adjuvant in the Healing of Human Diabetic Foot Wounds

They will be invited to enter the study, at no cost, to 72 patients seen in the Specialty Clinic of the Regional Hospital of Talca, who have a history of diabetic feet with ulcers and who are in treatment with cures and who meet the following criteria. inclusion:

• People with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), older than 18 years, type 1 or 2, with known evolution of their diabetes between 2 and 15 years.
• Carriers of diabetic foot ulcers
• Without other important diseases

Patients who present the following criteria will be excluded from the study:

• Propolis allergy
• Serious circulation problems
• Foot burns
• Psychological conditions, or distances that prevent regular attendance to all required cures.

According to the programmed, 72 people will be admitted to the study, of which half will receive Propolis application on their wound at the end of their usual healing, for a maximum period of 75 days; while the other half will maintain the usual cure without Propolis.

All participants must maintain the usual treatment of their illness, as well as the usual type and frequency of their cures and maintain their physical activity according to the medical indication during this period. After 75 days, those who did not receive Propolis will have the possibility to receive it in the same way for 75 days.

All patients in the study must have a recent basic evaluation of their Diabetes performed in their office or the Specialties Polyclinic of the Regional Hospital of Talca at the beginning (up to 30 days prior) and at the end of the treatment, consisting of glycemia and glycosylated hemoglobin.

Tissue samples will be taken from your wound to make measurements of inflammation, degree of healing, infectionand oxidative stress, at the beginning, week 3, 6 and at the end of the study (75 days). The sample at the end of the study will only be obtained if the wound is still open.

In addition, at the beginning and at the end a blood sample of 5cc will be taken to measure levels of inflammatory markers and oxidative stress in blood.

These samples will be taken in the same Specialty Clinic of the Regional Hospital of Talca, but they will be transferred to be processed in the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the School of Medicine of the University of Talca. . Samples will be stored frozen at -80 ° C, under a code to guarantee confidentiality, for a period of 2 years, after which they will be eliminated.

During the last care / healing that the nurse does to the patient, you will be asked to complete a survey with questions to collect personal opinions about the effect of topical propolis.

Benefits: It has been described that the topical application of Propolis can improve the healing of human diabetic foot ulcer.

Inclusion criteria

• DM type 1 or 2 with complicated foot diabetics wounds.
• 18-80 years old

Exclusion criteria

• Propolis allergy
• Critical ischemia
• Severe infection
• Psycho-social conditions that avoid regular attendance at health aid.