Effects of Oral Channa striata and Topical Centella asiatica on Serum IL-6 and Wound Tissue TNF-α in a Diabetic Incisional Wound Model in Wistar Rats

Channa striata and Centella asiatica in Diabetic Wounds

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effects of topical 10% Centella asiatica gel, oral Channa striata extract, and their combination on systemic interleukin (IL)-6 and wound tissue tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α levels in a Wistar rat model of diabetic incision wound.
Methods: This in vivo experimental study used a post-test-only control group design. Diabetes was induced with nicotinamide followed by streptozotocin. Male Wistar rats aged 10 weeks and weighing 180-200 g were randomized into five groups (n = 5/group): Non-diabetic wound control, diabetic wound plus vehicle, diabetic wound plus oral Channa striata extract, diabetic wound plus topical 10% Centella asiatica gel, and diabetic wound plus combination therapy. Serum IL-6 and wound tissue TNF-α were measured by sandwich ELISA at study termination.
Results: Serum IL-6 differed significantly among groups (One-Way ANOVA, p = 0.008). Compared with the diabetic vehicle group, serum IL-6 was significantly lower in the oral Channa striata group (p = 0.004) and the combination group (p = 0.043). The oral Channa striata group did not differ significantly from the combination group (Tukey HSD, p = 0.796). Wound tissue TNF-α did not differ significantly among groups (Kruskal-Wallis, p = 0.100).
Conclusion: Oral Channa striata, either alone or combined with topical Centella asiatica gel, was associated with lower serum IL-6, whereas wound tissue TNF-α was not significantly changed. The combination did not show an additive serum IL-6 reduction beyond oral monotherapy in this model.