Effect of total astragalosides on diabetic non-healing wound by regulating immune microenvironment

Aim:
The aim of the research was to analyse the regulatory effect of astragaloside (AST) on the immune microenvironment of diabetic non-healing wound (DNHW), and to analyse the clinical efficacy and mechanism of wound repair in multiple layers.

Material and methods:
Ninety adult male Wistar rats, which were kept healthy (SPF) under natural infection, were randomly divided into three groups, namely, blank, control and observation groups, with 30 rats in each group. After adaptive feeding for 7 days, the diabetes model was established. After the model was formed, the wounds were uniformly prepared, and then the blank group only was shaved. Both the control group and the observation group were treated with moist exposure therapy. The control group was covered with physiological saline gauze, while the observation group was covered with AST gauze. The healing status of the wounds in both groups was observed and recorded on the 1^st, 7^th, and 14^th days after formation. And the levels of a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA) and collagen I (COL-1) in the wound tissue were measured.

Results:
On the 1st day after wound formation, the wound healing area, a-SMA, and COL-1 levels in the three groups were consistent (p > 0.05). On the 7^th and 14^th days after wound formation, the wound healing area in the three groups increased compared within the group, but only the control and observation groups had significantly higher wound healing area than on the 1st day after wound formation (p < 0.05). In addition, the blank group had lower levels of a-SMA and COL-1, while the control and observation groups had higher levels of a-SMA and COL-1 (p < 0.05). In the comparison between groups, the wound healing area, a-SMA, and COL-1 levels in the control and observation groups were higher than those in the blank group, while the wound healing area, a-SMA, and COL-1 levels in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:
AST can regulate the immune microenvironment of DNHW, improve a-SMA and COL-1, and accelerate the wound healing of DNHW.