Published Paper Details:

Abstract: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) represents one of the most challenging complications associated with diabetes mellitus and remains a major cause of chronic non-healing wounds, infection, and lower-extremity amputation. The impaired healing process observed in diabetic wounds is primarily linked to persistent hyperglycemia, excessive oxidative stress, peripheral neuropathy, vascular insufficiency, reduced angiogenesis, and prolonged inflammatory responses. These pathological abnormalities collectively disrupt normal tissue repair and delay wound closure. Although several conventional treatment approaches are currently available, their therapeutic effectiveness is often limited by poor drug penetration, insufficient retention at the wound site, and the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance. In recent years, ferulic acid, a plant-derived phenolic bioactive compound, has attracted increasing scientific interest because of its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and regenerative activities. Despite its promising therapeutic potential, the clinical application of ferulic acid remains restricted due to low aqueous solubility, limited bioavailability, and rapid degradation under physiological conditions. To overcome these limitations, nanoengineered delivery systems such as polymeric nanoparticles, hydrogels, nanofibers, and lipid-based nanocarriers have been extensively investigated for improving drug stability, sustained release behavior, and targeted wound delivery. Moreover, recent advances in smart wound dressings, wearable sensing devices, artificial intelligence-assisted monitoring systems, and telemedicine have considerably transformed the management of diabetic wounds. This review summarizes the underlying pathophysiology of diabetic foot ulcers and discusses the therapeutic relevance of ferulic acid, current developments in nanoengineered delivery systems, and emerging technological approaches for advanced diabetic wound care.