Propolis Boosts Wound Healing in Diabetic Patients

Details for Effect of Propolis and Saline Dressing

By : EL - SARRAG ,M.S.A. & ELSAYED, A.M.

Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, and

ENRRI, Sudan Academy of Science, Khartoum, Sudan

To assess the tolerability and safety of propolis dressing material compared to saline on wound healing in diabetic patients, two groups of 30 patients each were treated with 7% propolis paste in group (A) and with normal saline in group (B). All of them were under medical antibiotics.

Organisms isolated and identified from the swap culture of patients in group A before and after treatment, Staphylococcus aureus 42.9% dropped to 5.3% Klebsiella peumoniae 14.3% dropped to 5.3%, E. coli 7.1% dropped to 5.3%, Streptococcus pyogenes 3.6% and unidentified 3.6% were disappeared and sterile growth 28.6% raised to 84.2%.

In group B organisms identified Staph. 41.4% dropped to 8.3%, Strep. 6.9% and Pseudomonas 3.45% were disappeared, E. coli. 10.3% decreased to 4.2%, Klebs, which was not detected before treatment appeared in 4.2% and sterile growth (31.0%) increased to 75%.

Duration of wound healing by propolis paste, 13.3% patients were completely healed at less than 6 weeks, 53.3% after 6 weeks and before 3 months and 33.3% after 3 months before 6 months. Only 6.9% patients were subjected to skin grafting. The outcome of the treatment with propolis paste, 48% patients healed with no amputation, 41.4% kept on dressing and ulcer improvement, 3.4% patient with minor amputation and 3.4% patient was under major amputation.

With normal saline, 11.1% patients were healed within 6 weeks, 44.4% between 6 weeks and 33.0 between 3 & 6 months, 11.1% patients exceeded 6 months towards one year, and 3.3% patients were subjected to skin grafting.

The outcome of patients treated with normal saline, 57.1% were healed without amputation, on dressing and ulcer proving 39.3% and with minor amputation 3.6%.

At the end of the treatment all patients treated with saline dressing material showed different stages of wound discharge with pus cells 53.6% with wound serious 7.1% and with serosanginunois 39.3%. However, all patients were shifted to other dressing materials.