Indian researchers find natural molecule that repairs wounds faster in diabetics

A new study by researchers at Nagaland University has identified a naturally occurring compound that could change how diabetic wounds are treated.

The team found that Sinapic acid — a plant-derived antioxidant — can significantly enhance wound healing under diabetic conditions by activating the SIRT1 pathway, which supports tissue repair, new blood vessel formation, and inflammation control.

As Hubnetwork reports, this is the first study globally to show that oral administration of Sinapic acid can speed up diabetic wound healing in preclinical models.

The research, led by Professor Pranav Kumar Prabhakar from the Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Nagaland University, was conducted in collaboration with Lovely Professional University (LPU), Punjab.

Their findings have been published in Nature Scientific Reports (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03890-z), a peer-reviewed journal from Nature Portfolio.

Professor Prabhakar explained that diabetes mellitus remains one of the world’s most pressing chronic conditions, often leading to delayed wound healing and complications such as diabetic foot ulcers. “Existing synthetic drugs have limited efficacy and often cause undesirable side effects,” he said.

The team instead explored a plant-based route, discovering that lower oral doses of Sinapic acid (20 mg/kg) were more effective than higher ones (40 mg/kg), a phenomenon known as an inverted dose-response.

Co-researcher Dr Jeena Gupta of LPU noted that the compound’s oral delivery offers systemic bioavailability, allowing targeted action at wound sites without invasive procedures. The researchers are now working on a patentable formulation designed for affordability, scalability, and eventual clinical testing.

If proven successful in human trials, this breakthrough could help reduce the risk of amputations and make diabetic wound care safer and more accessible, particularly in rural and resource-limited settings.