Unveiling the therapeutic potential of verbascoside to combat diabetic wound

Diabetes is a multifaceted metabolic disease which impedes wound healing process leading to chronic ulcers in the lower extremities mostly. This class of wounds obstructs maturation of granulating tissues due to the vascular damage resulting in ischemia, continuous production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and impaired- angiogenic response, microvascular complications, macrophage activation, keratinocytes, fibroblast migration & proliferation, production of growth factors, increased serum matrix metalloproteinase, impaired collagen accumulation, dysregulated neuropeptide expression in the skin combining suppressed inflammatory response. With these complex molecular mechanisms in background and despite considerable advances made in understanding them over the years, diabetic wounds continue to present a daunting challenge and health care burden. So the search for alternative approaches or drugs, particularly from natural products, is of key importance.

Phenylethanoid glycoside like verbascoside a water-soluble polyphenolic compound has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic properties with numerous wound-healing and neuroprotective properties. It activates antioxidant enzymes along with the increase in keratinocytes migration and inhibition of inflammation mediators. Verbascoside also possesses the highest combinatory activity (wound healing, anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive). It also possesses anti-diabetic and antioxidant activity. Hence, the purpose of this review is to highlight the health benefit role, functional property and therapeutic uses of this phenylethanoid glycoside which holds a great promise as a wound healing candidate in case of diabetes.