Targeting oxidative damage in diabetic foot ulcers: integrative strategies involving antioxidant drugs and nanotechnologies

Foot ulcerations in patients with diabetes are common and severe, typically caused by infection and chronic inflammation. Poor blood circulation and neuropathy impair the body’s ability to heal wounds effectively, creating a conducive environment for ulcers. Excessive reactive oxygen species contribute to ulcer development by damaging cellular structures and hindering wound healing. The administration of antioxidants can protect cells from oxidative damage and promote wound recovery. Antioxidants such as epidermal growth factors, flavonoid hesperidin, alpha-lipoic acid, and N-acetylcysteine effectively reduce oxidative stress. Encapsulating various drugs into nanoparticles and targeting carriers such as hydrogels, metal–organic frameworks, and nanohydrogels can improve their therapeutic effects. Nanotechnologies have been shown to boost tissue regeneration by modifying biomaterial properties, modulating signal release, and targeting key factors. Here, we describe the occurrence and development of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), emphasizing the role of oxidative damage in these processes. This review summarizes the strategy for targeting oxidative damage in DFUs using nanotechnology-loaded antioxidant drugs. This review advocates for the use of personalized biomaterials in treating DFUs and provides a theoretical basis for their potential clinical and translational applications.