Maria Letizia Iabichella
Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) represent a growing health care issue worldwide, representing one of the most dramatic consequences of poorly controlled diabetes. A first successful experience on a patient with extremely advanced feet ulcers treated with a mixture of Hypericum perforatum and Azadirachta indica (Hyperoil™) has induced us to use the same treatment on a series of patients with less severe ulcers. Aim of this report is to summarize the results observed in this case series.
Methods: All patients afferent to the Wound Care Units of Pisa, Ragusa and Modena - Italy (WCU) from June 2012 to June 2013 followed a standardized diagnostic/therapeutic scheme to manage diabetes and coexisting conditions. All DFUs were treated with Hyperoil™ at home, when diabetes was well compensated at WCU. Changes in HbA1c, pressure and pain have been evaluated using paired t-test.
Results: All the 16 patients recovered their DFUs 2 to 10 months after starting Hyperoil™ treatment. During this period HbA1c improved and pain due to DFUs disappeared in all patients; furthermore, hypertension was better compensated.
Conclusion: These preliminary results, belonging to a case series, suggest that using Hyperoil™ for advanced diabetic foot ulcers, together with tight diabetes control, might be a cheap and effective new option for the home management of advanced diabetic foot ulcers.
