Abstract:
Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a common and severe complication in patients with diabetes, characterized by difficult wound healing and susceptibility to infection, often progressing to tissue necrosis and osteomyelitis. DFU is a significant cause of disability and mortality in diabetic patients. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death, marked by the accumulation of lipid peroxides in cell membranes, and has garnered widespread attention in recent years in the pathogenesis and intervention research of DFU. Research has primarily focused on iron metabolism, lipid metabolism and key ferroptosis regulatory pathways such as System Xc-/GSH/GPX4 and NAD(P)H/FSP1/CoQ10, aiming to reduce levels of lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species and Fe
2+ in DFU wound cells, upregulate vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and promote wound healing. Traditional Chinese medicine, with its comprehensive regulatory effects through multiple targets and pathways, demonstrates systemic and holistic intervention advantages. This paper reviews the molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and its pathological role in DFU, explores the mechanisms of action of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine in intervening in ferroptosis for the treatment of DFU, aiming to provide theoretical foundations and potential targets for clinical therapy.