Management of diabetic foot remains a major challenge for healthcare system. Though wound healing is a multiphase process and involved multiple biomarkers that acts in stepwise manner, pathophysiology diabetic foot ulcers is still not much clear and need standardization. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are often linked with non-healing characteristic of diabetic foot ulcers. They play vital roles in various phases of healing process. Major functions are removal of damaged extracellular matrix in inflammatory phase, breakdown of capillary basement membrane prior to angiogenesis and facilitation in fibroblast migration during proliferation phase. For efficient healing, these enzymes are needed in certain amount only. Imbalance of these enzymes leads to excessive degradation which has been linked with the non-healing nature of diabetic ulcers. This chapter will shed light on the role of MMP’s in various phases of wound healing and the inhibitors of MMP’s from natural as well as synthetic origin. It would help researchers and physicians to the understand nature of diabetic foot more clearly and design of strategies for diabetic foot management.
Part of the book: The Eye and Foot in Diabetes
Microbial infection remains all time and unresolved challenge in the management of burns and diabetic wounds. Especially in diabetic wounds infections are prominent reason of amputations. Microbial biofilms pose tough polymeric barrier that is difficult to cross by conventional antibiotics. Therefore, traditional approach of infection control using antibiotics is now failing at some extent that raised a need to shift this paradigm. Presently, silver nanoparticles incorporated scaffolds representing a new concept of nanoparticle dressings which is becoming popular in wound management. Recently developed silver nanoparticles functionalized wound dressings exhibited excellent profile in the management of wound infections and promotion of wound healing. This chapter throw light on the recent strategies used in the development of silver nanoparticles functionalized wound dressings and their outcomes along with potential benefits and future challenges in wound management.
Part of the book: Silver Micro-Nanoparticles