Research Relevant to Cheltenham, Cirencester & the South West
New research funded by us suggests that a medieval remedy may one day help treat diabetic foot ulcers, one of the leading causes of amputation in people with diabetes.
This research is particularly relevant to people living with diabetes in Cheltenham, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Worcestershire, where diabetic foot ulcers continue to place pressure on NHS services and significantly affect quality of life.
Why Diabetic Foot Ulcers Matter
Diabetes is the most common cause of lower limb amputations in the UK. People living with diabetes are around 20 times more likely to experience an amputation than those without the condition.
Around 80% of diabetes-related amputations are preceded by a foot ulcer.
Foot ulcers are often:
- Slow to heal
- At high risk of infection
- Resistant to commonly used antibiotics
This is why finding new treatments for diabetic foot infections is so important.
Exploring Ancient Remedies for Modern Medicine
Many modern antibiotics originally came from natural sources, and research into traditional remedies has previously led to major medical breakthroughs.
With this in mind, Elizabeth and her team at Bourton Podiatry examined historical manuscripts to identify treatments that could help people with hard-to-treat diabetic foot infections.
What Is Bald’s Eye Salve?
The researchers focused on a medieval English remedy known as Bald’s eye salve.
This salve contains:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Bile salts
- Wine
In earlier studies, the research team found that this specific combination of ingredients was able to kill Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium commonly found in infected diabetic foot ulcers.
What Did the New Study Find?
In this study, the researchers discovered that Bald’s eye salve was also effective at killing Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium known for being resistant to modern antibiotics.
To explore whether the remedy could be safe for clinical use, the team carried out additional testing.
Key Findings
- The salve caused minimal irritation to living cells
- Irritation levels were comparable to treatments already used in medicine
- When applied to surgical wounds in mice, the salve did not interfere with normal wound healing
These results suggest the remedy may be safe enough to consider further testing.
What This Could Mean for People With Diabetes
These findings represent an early but promising step toward developing new treatments for diabetic foot ulcers, especially those that do not respond well to current antibiotics.
If future studies confirm safety and effectiveness in humans, treatments inspired by this medieval remedy could:
- Improve healing of infected foot ulcers
- Reduce the risk of serious infections
- Lower the number of diabetes-related amputations
For people living in Cheltenham, Cirencester and across the South West, this could eventually support better outcomes through NHS diabetic foot and wound care services.
If you would like to see a podiatrist and get some expert advice, contact the Head Clinician at the Bourton Podiatry one of the most respected Podiatrists in the Cotswolds area. Telephone: 01451 824301 or Website: https://bourtonpodiatry.com/contact/.
courtesy of diabetes.org.uk.