NU study finds plant that could heal diabetic wound

Nagaland University (NU) researchers have identified a naturally-occurring plant compound called “Sinapic acid” as a powerful therapeutic agent capable of significantly accelerating wound healing in diabetic conditions.
The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio), opens up new possibilities for affordable and natural diabetic therapies.
The discovery also marks a major advancement that could result in safe, natural, and effective treatments for diabetic wound management.
A statement released by the university stated that it was the first study globally to demonstrate that Sinapic acid, when administered orally, could accelerate diabetic wound healing in preclinical models.
The research also established that the compound works by activating the SIRT1 pathway, which plays a crucial role in tissue repair, angiogenesis, and inflammation control.
The multidisciplinary study involved collaboration between experts from Nagaland University and Lovely Professional University (LPU), Punjab, combining expertise in biotechnology, pharmacology, biochemistry, and medical laboratory sciences.
The Research was led by Prof. Pranav Kumar Prabhakar, Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Nagaland University, and included Rupal Dubey, Sourbh Suren Garg, Navneet Khurana and Jeena Gupta from Lovely Professional University.
The findings have been published in Nature Scientific Reports, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal from Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature), lending strong international credibility to this work.
Highlighting the real-world impact of the research, NU vice chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik, expressed delight in sharing that a study conducted by NU researchers has identified a natural compound with remarkable potential in the treatment of diabetic wounds. He congratulated the research team for their dedication and contribution towards improving healthcare solutions.
Elaborating on how this research addresses a Critical Global Health Challenge, Prof. Pranav Kumar Prabhakar, said diabetes mellitus remains one of the world’s most pressing chronic diseases, affecting hundreds of millions globally. He said among its serious complications was delayed wound healing, often resulting in diabetic foot ulcers, infection, and, in severe cases, amputation. Prof. PK Prabhakar said that existing synthetic drugs have shown limited efficacy and often cause undesirable side effects.
Further, Dr. Jeena Gupta, said their findings suggest that Sinapic acid has remarkable potential to accelerate tissue repair by enhancing angiogenesis and modulating oxidative stress.
Unlike topical applications or invasive treatments, Dr. Gupta said oral delivery allows systemic bioavailability, enabling targeted action at the wound site. “Building on these results, the team is also working on developing patentable formulation with Sinapic acid for easy administration, low cost, and scalability for future human trials,” she said.