"Ultrasound-Enhanced Propolis Therapy for Healing Diabetic Foot Wounds"
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Sham ultrasound (placebo), Propolis gel (10%).
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Diabetic Foot Ulcer t, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Wound Management. Basic parameters: 18 years — 75 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Effectiveness of Propolis Phonophoresis on Wound Healing in Diabetic Ulcer: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
This study aims to evaluate whether using ultrasound (phonophoresis) can help deliver propolis-a natural compound made by bees-more effectively into the skin to speed up wound healing in people with diabetic foot ulcers. Diabetic foot ulcers are a common and serious complication of diabetes and often take a long time to heal. Propolis has natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that may promote healing, but it does not easily penetrate the skin. By using ultrasound to enhance absorption, this study tests whether combining propolis with phonophoresis is more effective than standard wound care alone. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the propolis ultrasound therapy or standard care. The study will measure wound size, healing time, pain, infection rates, and quality of life.
Detailed description
This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial investigates the therapeutic effectiveness of propolis phonophoresis in treating diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). DFUs affect approximately 25% of diabetic patients and are associated with high morbidity, prolonged healing, and significant healthcare costs. Propolis, a resinous substance produced by honeybees, has shown antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties in previous studies. However, its limited skin permeability reduces its clinical utility when used topically.
Phonophoresis is a non-invasive technique that uses ultrasound waves to enhance transdermal drug delivery. This study combines a 10% propolis gel with therapeutic ultrasound (1 MHz, 0.5-1.5 W/cm², pulsed mode at 20%) to evaluate its impact on wound healing outcomes compared to standard wound care. The intervention group will receive propolis phonophoresis therapy three times per week for four weeks. The control group will receive standard wound care and a sham ultrasound.
Primary outcome measures include the percentage reduction in wound area, assessed via digital planimetry. Secondary outcomes include time to full wound closure, pain scores, infection rates, and quality-of-life assessments. The study is designed to explore whether this combined therapeutic approach can offer a clinically superior and non-surgical treatment alternative for patients with chronic diabetic ulcers.
Interventions
- Device Sham ultrasound (placebo)
Participants will receive conventional wound care including debridement, cleaning, and dressing. A sham ultrasound device that emits no therapeutic waves will be applied to simulate the intervention procedure. - Drug Propolis gel (10%)
Participants will receive topical application of 10% propolis gel on the diabetic foot ulcer followed by therapeutic ultrasound (phonophoresis) using 1 MHz frequency, 0.5-1.5 W/cm² intensity, pulsed mode (20%), for 5 minutes per session, 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks.
Primary outcome measures
- Percentage Reduction in Wound Area [Time frame: Baseline to Week 4]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
Adults aged 18 to 75 years
Diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus
Presence of a diabetic foot ulcer classified as Grade 1 or 2 (Wagner classification)
Ulcer size between 1 cm² and 5 cm²
Able and willing to provide informed consent
Exclusion criteria
Severe infection or presence of osteomyelitis at the ulcer site
Use of systemic immunosuppressants or corticosteroids
Known allergy or hypersensitivity to propolis
Pregnant or breastfeeding women
Participation in another clinical trial within the past 30 days
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Double blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07099482 · SU.REC.2025(47H)