Protective Effect of Medicago Sativa L. (Fabaceae) against Excision and Incision Wound Models in Diabetic Rats.

Introduction: Medicago sativa (M. sativa), commonly known as Alfalfa, is a herb from the Fabaceae family that has a long history of being used to treat digestive, diabetic, and blood disorders, as well as to support liver health. The objective was to evaluate the effects of ethanolic extract of M. sativa (EEMS) on wounds in normal rats or alloxan hydrate-induced diabetic rats.

Method: The wounds were created by excision (n=30) and incision (n=30) in rats. The Group II-V were diabetic rats treated with simple ointment BP, 10% weight-based povidone-iodine (10% PI), ointment of 5% w/w EEMS (5% w/w OEEMS), and 10% w/w EEMS (10% w/w OEEMS). Group 1 acted as a control and was treated with simple ointment BP. The wound area in the diabetic control groups was 292.33±0.8 mm sq. on the 18th day.

Results: Rats treated with 10% PI, 5% OEEMS, and 10% OEEMS showed a significant reduction in wound area of 68.33±1.29, 248.33±1.30, and 61±1.91 mm sq., respectively, on the 18th day as compared to the control group. Rats treated with 10% PI, 5% w/w OEEMS, and 10% w/w OEEMS showed a significant increment in wound-breaking strength, respectively, as compared to diabetic rats on day 10 in the incision wound model.

Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the OEEMS has potent wound-healing properties in diabetic rats.