Antioxidant potential of bilirubin-accelerated wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Oxidative injury is markedly responsible for wound complications in diabetes mellitus. The biological actions of bilirubin may be relevant to prevent oxidant-mediated cell death, as bilirubin application at a low concentration scavenges reactive oxygen species. Hence, we hypothesized that topical bilirubin application might improve wound healing in diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in adult male Wistar rats, which were divided into two groups, i.e., diabetic control and diabetic treated. Non-diabetic healthy rats were also taken as healthy control group. Wound area was measured on days 3, 7, 14, and 19 post-wounding. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were estimated in the granulation tissue. There was a significant increase in percent wound closure in healthy control and diabetic treated rats on days 7, 14, and 19, as compared to diabetic control rats on days 7, 14, and 19. There was significant decrease in MDA levels on days 7, 14, and 19 in diabetic treated rats, as compared to diabetic control rats. Levels of GSH were significantly increased on days 3, 7, 14, and 19 in diabetic treated rats, as compared to diabetic control rats. GPx, SOD, and CAT activities were significantly higher on days 3, 7, and 14 in diabetic treated rats, as compared to diabetic control rats. The findings indicate that bilirubin is effective in reducing the oxidant status in wounds of diabetic rats which might have accelerated wound healing in these rats.