Resveratrol may be beneficial in treatment of diabetic foot syndrome

Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is a late-stage complication of type 2 diabetes which originates from interplay among impaired tissue regeneration, vasculopathy, neuropathy and inflammation all on the background of insulin resistance. Despite astonishing mortality rate pharmacological approach in management of diabetic ulceration is almost non-existent. Foot pressure relief, wound debridement and infection control remain widely accepted options in the treatment of DFS. We hypothesize that resveratrol treatment and subsequent activation of SIRT1 pathway might be highly beneficial for patients with DFS. This prediction is based on multiple lines of evidence implicating resveratrol and sirtuins in restoration of insulin sensitivity, microcirculation, tissue regeneration, function of peripheral nerves and production of cytokines. Stabilized "nutraceutical" formulations of resveratrol with high absorption rate are essential to examine its potential medical benefits since dietary polyphenols are known to be rapidly metabolized by gut microflora and oxidized during absorption. Clinical trials with nutraceutical formulations and placebo are required to understand if resveratrol indeed holds the promise for treatment of DFS. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.