Exploring the efficacy of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy on diabetic foot ulcers in rats

Abstract We investigate the efficacy of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) and its combination with an antibiotic in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in rats using a novel cationic amino acid porphyrin‐based photosensitizer. The research findings demonstrate that the combination of novel cationic photosensitizer‐mediated PACT and an antibiotic exhibits significant therapeutic efficacy in treating deep ulcers in a rat model of DFUs. Moreover, the PACT + Antibiotic group displays enhanced angiogenesis, improved tissue maturation, and superior wound healing effect. Micro‐computed tomography examination showed that the periosteal reaction was most obvious in the PACT + Antibiotic group. The cortical bone volume ratio (BV/TV), the bone mineral density, and trabecular thickness were significantly higher in the PACT + Antibiotic group than in the model group ( p < 0.05). The combination of PACT and antibiotic plays a sensitizing therapeutic role, which provides a new idea for the clinical treatment of DFUs.