Wound Healing Activity of Chlorogenic Acid in Diabetic Rats is Mediated Through Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Proliferative Effects

Chlorogenic acid is known to have antibacterial action against a number of pathogens. This study provides insights into the potentiality of chlorogenic acid in the treatment of chronic infection in wounds. The anti-infective and healing effect of chlorogenic acid in infected wounds was evaluated using diabetic rats. Antibacterial activity of chlorogenic acid against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated in vitro. A decrease in the epithelization period (p<0.001) and a reduction in bacterial load (p<0.001) were observed in the treated groups. In addition to antibacterial activity, chlorogenic acid facilitated wound contraction (p<0.001). An increase in antioxidant enzymes was also observed in the wounded tissues (p<0.001). A thicker epithelial layer and angiogenesis were observed in the histological evaluation. Chlorogenic acid did not show any cytotoxicity on HaCaT cells in vitro. An increase in the expression of proliferative genes Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Transforming Growth Factor-b1 (TGF-b1) was observed in Human keratinocytes (HaCaT) grown in the presence of chlorogenic acid (p<0.001). The study confirms that chlorogenic acid supports wound healing with antibacterial, antioxidant, and proliferative effects of pro-healing cytokines genes. This agent may hold the potential for the management of infectious diabetic wounds.