Exploring the wound healing potential of dietary nitrate in diabetic rat model

Abstract

Introduction: The wound healing in diabetes is hindered and prolonged due to long-term inflammation, oxidative stress damage, and angiogenesis disorders induced by high glucose status. The management of such difficult-to-treat wounds continues to pose a significant challenge in clinical treatment. Dietary nitrate, commonly found in greens such as beets and spinach, acts as a nutritional supplement and is metabolized in the body through the salivary nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway. This pathway plays a crucial role in various physiological functions, including enhancing blood flow and attenuating inflammation. Methods: In this study, we established a diabetic rat wound model. Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 8): the Con group, the Con + Nitrate group, the STZ group, the STZ + NaCl group, the STZ + rhEGF group, and the STZ + Nitrate group. Skin wound healing was assessed on the day of surgery and on postoperative days 3, 7, 10, and 14. Specimens were taken on days 7 and 14 post-surgery for relevant tests. Results: We found that dietary nitrate could accelerate skin wound healing by promoting angiogenesis and increasing blood perfusion. Significantly, dietary nitrate also regulated glucose and lipid metabolism and exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Discussion: These findings provide a novel theoretical basis for managing wounds in diabetic individuals, indicating the broad potential of dietary nitrate in future clinical applications.