Abstract

Background: Foot ulcer is a common and massive complication of Diabetes that the economic, social, and public health workers tackled throughout the world. Aim and
Objective: This study aimed to compare and evaluate the effect of neem extract irrigation with normal saline on the wound healing outcome among diabetic foot ulcer patients.
Materials and Methods: The present single-blind experimental design study was conducted on 160 diabetic Foot ulcer patients who attended a diabetic foot clinic center during the period February 2019–February 2020. Patients were allocated in two groups, by simple random assignment. Intervention group received Neem extract irrigation and control group received Normal saline irrigation weekly twice. In both groups, wound assessment was done using PUSH tool at baseline and then at the end of each week till 4 weeks are completed. Data were analyzed in SPSS20 software, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The total pre intervention means and standard deviation of the Wound surface area in the intervention and control groups were respectively 17.13 ± 21.46 and 19.84 ± 23.98, and the post intervention mean and standard deviation of the Wound surface area at the end of 4 weeks of study period was respectively 6.92 ± 16.62 and 14.04 ± 21.32. The difference between the two groups at the end of 3rd and 4th week were statistically significant (P = 0.018 and P = 0.047). Conclusion: Neem leave extracts irrigation promotes wound healing activity and is preferred being natural and safe without producing any adverse effect.