Silymarin released from sterile wafers restores glucose impaired endothelial cell migration.

Reduced oxygen tension combined with high glucose concentration leads to chronic wounds in diabetic patients. Delayed wound healing is due in part to impaired angiogenesis as a result of reduced endothelial cell migration. Topical applications, in the form of sterile lyophilised wafers hold promise for the treatment of chronic diabetic wounds. In this study wafers containing silymarin were prepared using xanthan gum and sterilised with 25 and 40 kGy gamma radiation. The rheological properties of xanthan gels, before and after lyophilisation, were measured and it was concluded that an increased dose of gamma rays (40 kGy) increased the viscosity coefficient and yield stress of silymarin wafers. HPLC analysis indicated that 89-90% of silymarin was retained in the wafers after irradiation. Dermal microvascular cell migration studies in the presence of high glucose and reduced oxygen tension levels, using novel radial migration and wound healing assays developed 'in house', were also undertaken. Silymarin, when formulated as a lyophilised wafer, successfully retained its ability to overcome the high glucose induced reduction in endothelial cell migration.