An in vivo Investigation on the Wound-Healing Effect of Two Medicinal Herbs Using an Animal Model with Foot Ulcer

<i>Background/Aim:</i> Over 190 million people in the world suffer from diabetes mellitus. Diabetics are 25 times more likely to have a leg amputated because of unhealing foot ulcers. Herbal medicine has been used in China to salvage the ulcerated limb. With the aim to study the efficacy of two commonly used herbs for ulcer healing, namely Radix Astragali and Radix Rehmanniae, a good animal model needs to be developed for a proper in vivo investigation. <i>Methods:</i> Firstly, a diabetic animal model was established by streptozotocin injection. Then standard wounds were created on the feet of the diabetic rats. Digital photographs were taken and analyzed by a novel image analysis software. <i>Results:</i> The average ulcer area in the Radix Rehmanniae treatment group was 11.45 mm², which was significantly smaller than the 15.12 mm² in the water treatment group (p = 0.04). Radix Astragali, on the other hand, was found to have no significant effect on ulcer shrinkage. <i>Conclusion:</i> Further investigation is needed for the identification of the active principles of Radix Rehmanniae.