The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of
folic acid on impaired wound healing in diabetic mice. Male mice were divided into three groups: group 1, the non-diabetic mice (control); group 2, the
streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic mice; and group 3, the diabetic mice that received a daily dose of 3 mg/kg
folic acid via oral gavage. Full-thickness excision
wounds were created with 8-mm skin biopsy punches. Each
wound closure was continuously evaluated until the
wound healed up. Wound healing was delayed in diabetic mice compared with the non-diabetic mice. There were significantly reduced levels of
hydroxyproline content (
indicator of
collagen deposition) and
glutathione in diabetic
wounds, whereas levels of lipid peroxidation and
protein nitrotyrosination were increased. Daily supplementation with
folic acid restored diabetes-induced healing delay. Histopathology showed that
folic acid supplementation accelerated granulation tissue formation, proliferation of fibroblasts, and tissue regeneration in diabetic mice. Interestingly,
folic acid alleviated diabetes-induced impaired
collagen deposition in
wounds. Moreover,
folic acid significantly decreased levels of lipid peroxidation,
protein nitrotyrosination and
glutathione depletion in diabetic
wounds. In conclusion, our results indicate that
folic acid supplementation may improve impaired wound healing via suppressing oxidative stress in diabetic mice.