Pluronic F-127-based Shorea robusta resin powder hydrogel revamped the anti-oxidant status and countered sustained inflammation to facilitate healing of diabetic wounds

Adverse outcome related to wound healing in diabetic animals has been widely documented and chronic wounds create a serious financial burden on the pet owners. Hence, there is utmost need of a safe, cost-effective, and pragmatic wound healing modality. Considering the beneficial effects of Pluronic F-127 (PF-127) and Shorea robusta resin extracts in wound healing, the healing efficacy of hydrogels based on easily available S. robusta resin powder (SRRP) and PF-127 in excisional wound model in diabetic rats was evaluated. Wounds were created in 24 rats and they were divided randomly into 4 groups. Group I (20% w/v PF-127 gel) served as vehicle control while groups II, III, and IV topically received 1%, 1.5%, and 2% SRRP hydrogels, respectively, b.i.d. for 19 days. 2% SRRP hydrogel markedly improved wound closure with simultaneous reduction in pain perception, as compared to vehicle control. It also countered inflammation as evidenced by a marked fall in tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels with a sharp, significant rise in interleukin-10 (IL-10) and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) levels. Further, a significant improvement was observed in the levels of hydroxyproline and glucosamine along with the activities of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. 2% SRRP hydrogel appeared to have good potential in healing diabetic wounds owing to its analgesic, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.