Frog skin as an alternative temporary dressing for diabetic foot ulcers treatment: animal model

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are chronic lesions, and despite extensive research, no standardized treatment exists yet. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of frog skin application as a temporary dressing on the DFUs of diabetic rats.

Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats (n = 22) weighing 200-300 g through a streptozotocin injection (55 mg/kg). The animals received sub-doses of long-acting insulin to induce a moderate, chronic diabetic state. A DFU was surgically created on the animal's paws (1 × 1 cm). The animals were divided into two groups: a control group treated with gauze and 0.9% saline solution (n = 10), and the frog skin group (n = 12). Both groups were further subdivided so it was possible to analyze their healing on postoperative 7 and 14 days (POD7 and POD14). The primary endpoints assessed included DFU contraction area, histological analysis, and gene expression.

On POD14, the frog skin group showed six times less contracture when compared to the control group. Histological analysis revealed a 30% increase in neoangiogenesis and 50% reduction in inflammation in the POD14 frog skin group when compared to the control group. Additionally, on POD7, Il10 expression was about five times higher in the frog skin group compared to the respective control (p = 0.011).

This study suggests that the use of frog skin as temporary biological dressing can reduce DFU secondary contraction and inflammation, offering potential therapeutic benefits for chronic wound management.