Effect of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Oxidative Stress Markers in Healing Dynamics of Diabetic Neuropathic Wounds in Wistar Rats

BACKGROUND: Prolonged and overlapping phases of wound healing in diabetes are mainly due to the redox imbalance resulting in the chronicity of the wound. Photobiomodulation therapy works on the principle of absorption of photon energy and its transduction into a biological response in the living tissue. It alleviates the cellular responses, thereby improving the mechanism of wound healing in diabetes. OBJECTIVE: To find out the effect of photobiomodulation therapy of dosage 4 J/cm(2) in the healing dynamics of diabetic neuropathic wounds in Wistar rats and its relation with oxidative stress markers. METHODOLOGY: Diabetes was induced using Streptozotocin of 60 mg/kg of body weight to eighteen female Wistar rats. Neuropathy was induced by the sciatic nerve crush injury followed by an excisional wound of 2 cm(2) on the back of the animal. Experimental group animals were treated with dosage 4 J/cm(2) of wavelength 655 and 808 nm, and control group animals were kept unirradiated. The biomechanical, histopathological, and biochemical changes were analysed in both groups. RESULTS: There was a reduction in mean wound healing time and an increased rate of wound contraction in the experimental group animals compared to its control group. The experimental group showed improved redox status, and histopathological findings revealed better proliferative cells, keratinisation, and epithelialization than un-irradiated controls. CONCLUSIONS: Photobiomodulation therapy of dosage 4 J/cm(2) enhanced the overall wound healing dynamics of the diabetes-induced neuropathic wound and optimised the oxidative status of the wound, thereby facilitating a faster healing process.