Management of a Chronic Diabetic Foot Ulcer Using Apamarga Hydrogel: An Integrative Ayurvedic Wound Care Approach

Abstract

Diabetic ulcers affect 25% of diabetic patients and have lasting implications. In Ayurveda, such ulcers are corelated to Mehaja Vrana, a complication of Prameha. Conventional wound dressings may adhere to the wound bed, causing trauma during dressing changes and often fail to provide an optimal moist environment necessary for wound healing. Incorporating Ayurvedic phytoconstituents into advanced wound dressings may offer enhanced therapeutic benefits. Methodology: A 65-year-old male patient with a diabetic foot ulcer was treated with alternate day dressings with Apamarga Hydrogel. Wound healing was assessed through serial evaluation using Bates & Jenson wound scores. Result: Complete epithelialization was achieved within 28 days following 17 dressings, with progressive improvement in Bates & Jenson Wound Assessment scores and a 100% reduction in wound area. Discussion and Conclusion: Hydrogels are innovative wound care materials, that maintain a moist environment at the wound interface, supporting cell migration, and autolytic debridement. Fortification with Apamarga, known for its Vrana Shodhana properties, may further enhance wound healing by promoting wound bed preparation and tissue regeneration. This case highlights the potential of Apamarga-fortified hydrogel as an integrative approach for the management of diabetic foot ulcers.