Type 1 diabetes mellitus is responsible for metabolic dysfunction, accompanied by chronic
inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelium dysfunction, and is often associated with impaired wound healing.
Phenol-rich food improves vascular function, contributing to diabetes prevention. This study has evaluated the effect of
phenol-rich beverage consumption in diabetic rats on wound healing, through angiogenesis,
inflammation, and oxidative stress modulation. A wound-healing assay was performed in
streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats
drinking water, 5%
ethanol, and stout beer with and without 10 mg/L
xanthohumol (1), for a five-week period. Wounded skin microvessel density was reduced to normal values upon consumption of 1 in diabetic rats, being accompanied by decreased serum
VEGF-A and inflammatory markers (IL-1β, NO, N-acetylglucosaminidase). Systemic
glutathione and kidney and liver H2O2,
3-nitrotyrosine, and protein carbonylation also decreased to healthy levels
after treatment with 1, implying an improvement in oxidative stress status. These findings suggest that consumption of
xanthohumol (1) by diabetic animals consistently decreases
inflammation and oxidative stress, allowing neovascularization control and improving diabetic wound healing.