The Healing Effect of a Two-Herb Recipe on Foot Ulcer in Chinese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

There is now a global epidemic of diabetes and obesity affecting more than 300 million people worldwide with Asia in the forefront. In Hong Kong, diabetes affects more than 10% of the population. Patients with diabetes have a 12-25% lifetime risk of developing a foot ulcer.The abnormal metabolic milieus of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, pro-thrombotic state and chronic inflammation in diabetes causes atherosclerosis.A significant proportion of subjects have underlying peripheral arterial disease and neuropathy. These subjects are at great risk of developing infective foot ulceration secondary to impaired vascular supply, sensory loss and minor trauma.Without prompt and proper medical treatment, these infective ulcers will deteriorate leading to gangrene and limb amputation. In-vitro and in-vivo studies revealed that 5 out of the 12 herbs were effective in promoting fibroblast proliferation and angiogenesis. To minimize potential drug interactions and adverse effects from multiple components in a recipe of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the investigators have developed a simplified formula from the 12 herbs consisting of only two herbs. In this proof-of-concept study, the investigators hypothesize that the novel recipe of herbal medicine will expedite healing of early foot ulcer by promoting vascularisation and granulation as well as modulating inflammatory response.