Spampinato SF, Caruso GI, De Pasquale R, Sortino MA, Merlo S, et al.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland). Date of publication 2020 Apr 1;volume 13(4):.
1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2020 Apr 1;13(4):60. doi: 10.3390/ph13040060.
The Treatment of Impaired Wound Healing in Diabetes: Looking among Old Drugs.
Spampinato SF(1), Caruso GI(1)(2), De Pasquale R(3), Sortino MA(1), Merlo S(1).
Author information:
(1)Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of
Pharmacology University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
(2)Ph.D. Program in Biotechnologies, Department of Biomedical and
Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
(3)Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of
Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
Chronic wounds often occur in patients with diabetes mellitus due to the
impairment of wound healing. This has negative consequences for both the patient
and the medical system and considering the growing prevalence of diabetes, it
will be a significant medical, social, and economic burden in the near future.
Hence, the need for therapeutic alternatives to the current available treatments
that, although various, do not guarantee a rapid and definite reparative
process, appears necessary. We here analyzed current treatments for wound
healing, but mainly focused the attention on few classes of drugs that are
already in the market with different indications, but that have shown in
preclinical and few clinical trials the potentiality to be used in the treatment
of impaired wound healing. In particular, repurposing of the antiglycemic agents
dipeptidylpeptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors and metformin, but also, statins and
phenyotin have been analyzed. All show encouraging results in the treatment of
chronic wounds, but additional, well designed studies are needed to allow these
drugs access to the clinics in the therapy of impaired wound healing.
DOI: 10.3390/ph13040060
PMCID: PMC7243111
PMID: 32244718
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest
including any kind of personal financial interest.
