Background: FlaxAid is a newly developed type of dressing enriched in particular flavonoids through genetic engineering of flax plants that exhibit health-promoting activities due to their strong antioxidant properties. The purpose of the current study was to assess the clinical efficacy of the FlaxAid bandage therapy for a patient affected with a diabetic foot ulcer which was unresponsive to previous treatments. The patient was treated with FlaxAid bandages for 12 weeks and the size and properties of the wound were routinely observed and recorded. Due to the the clinical picture of the wound study design was adopted whereby the comparative treatment was cotton gauze wetted with isotonic salt solution.
Findings: Following therapy, the foot ulcer decreased in size, despite the decompensation of advanced diabetes. It is believed that the beneficial nature of FlaxAid is derived from its high level and broad spectrum of antioxidants.
Conclusions: The FlaxAid dressing provides a novel and effective method for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. This study presents a preliminary pilot investigation and a larger number of subjects need to be included within the study in order to draw firm clinical conclusions. Efforts to this effect are currently under way.