People with diabetic foot ulcers face a tough road to recovery. These wounds can stay open for a long time and invite infection. A new topical gel containing pyroligneous extract might offer a fresh path forward. This first-in-human trial tested the gel against a placebo in sixteen volunteers. The results looked promising for those struggling with these painful sores.
Wounds shrank significantly faster in the treatment group starting at week seven. The estimated time for half of the wounds to heal was four to seven days for the treatment group, compared to five to fifteen days for the control group. Fewer wounds showed signs of infection after treatment. The gel also changed gene activity in the skin to help fight inflammation and boost healing signals.
Safety checks found no skin irritation in any participant. However, three people dropped out of the study before it ended. Because this was a first-in-human trial with only sixteen volunteers, the results are early. The researchers say the extract may reduce infection risk and may decrease inflammatory response. More testing is needed to confirm these benefits for a wider group of patients.