Abstract

Background Diabetic wounds are a common complication and a debilitating condition of diabetes mellitus, which are characterized by chronic inflammation, persistence, and aggravation. Evidence suggests the beneficial influence of Loganin on diabetic complications and inflammation. However, the effectiveness of Loganin on diabetic wounds remains uninvestigated. Methods Network pharmacology was applied to identify the potential targets of Loganin in diabetic wound healing. Employing a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mouse model, we conducted evaluations pertaining to the effects of Loganin on wound healing and assessment of macrophage-related phenotypes via ELISA, immunohistochemistry, Western blot and qPCR. In vitro, we used J774A.1 mouse macrophage cell line and induced differentiated Th17 cells for experiments. Molecular docking, biotin-labeled pull-down assays and cellular thermal shift assays were applied to investigate direct mechanisms. Results Loganin topical application accelerated wound healing in diabetic mice, reduced local inflammation, and inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The IL-17/NF-κB signaling pathway was suppressed by Loganin, thus inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome. In particular, Loganin inhibited IL-17 A/F production in Th17 cells and targeted the NF-κB p50 subunit in macrophages, thus blocking its nuclear translocation and pro-inflammatory activation. Conclusion Loganin may be considered as an adjuvant or a new therapeutic agent in the management of chronic non-healing diabetic wounds.