ULTRASTRUCTURAL EXAMINATIONS ON DIABETIC RAT SKIN TISSUE WITH TOPICAL APPLICATION OF Salvia euphratica ETHANOL EXTRACT

Abstract

Several medicinal plants to treat diabetic wound healing were researched and are still under investigation. A variety of processes contributed to diabetics such as; inhibition of inflammatory response, generation of reactive oxygen species, differentiation of the extracellular matrix and reduced collagen production. The purpose of this study was to examine the ultrastructural alterations in diabetic rat skin tissue treated with the ointment prepared with Salvia euphratica. Male Wistar albino rats were used in this study (n: 24), divided into 4 groups. Non-treated, diabetic, diabetic and cicatrizant treated, ointment prepared with ethanol extract of 1% Salvia euphratica topically applied for 14 days. A single dose of 45 mg/dL streptozotocin (i.p.) was given to rats to induce diabetes. Excisional wound model was created under anesthesia. A cicatrizant, fitocream, was used as positive control. Normal skin tissue was observed in non-treated group. Diabetic skin tissue revealed hyalinization of the cytoplasm and loss of cytoplasm. Ointment treated diabetic group revealed altered cellular elements suggests healing. At the wound area, number of fibroblast cells synthesizing connective tissue were increased and the collagen fibers were regularly oriented. Neutrophil and monocyte cells besides mast and macrophage cells were found in the capillaries of dermis in S. euphratica ointment treated group. Wound healing in diabetic tissues is known to be slow. Using phytocream therapy to expedite the healing process is a long time known phenomenon. Our observations demonstrated that Salvia euphratica promoted changes in skin tissue that may contribute to wound healing at the cellular level.