Medical advancements that help close wounds faster have been popping up for years. Now, Israeli scientists have discovered a natural chemical that makes wounds heal faster. The scientists tested the chemical out on pigs, and it caused their wounds to heal twice as fast. They hope they can create a substance with similar properties that works on humans. The chemical in question is Diindolylmethane or DIM. It’s a chemical that our bodies make naturally, and it can also be found in multiple vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.
This chemical could make wounds heal faster
Previously, scientists believed that DIM could help destroy cancer cells and even help reduce swelling.
When studying the impact that it has on bacteria, the researchers found it harms their ability to function, allowing wounds to heal faster.
To test just how effective it was, though, the researchers treated several pigs with wounds using both antibiotics and DIM. They found that the wounds treated with antibiotics took around 10 days to fully close on average. DIM-treated wounds only took five days, though.
The researchers published their findings on the chemical in the journal Pharmaceutics. They’re currently working on developing the chemical into an ointment for animals. Additionally, they’re trying to determine if the chemical that heals wounds faster can also be used as a food additive for animals.
Fighting bacteria
The results of the study show that DIM responds differently to the bacteria on wounds than antibiotics do. Traditional antibiotics kill the bacteria on the wound. Then, a new layer of tissue grows. But, you still have the dead tissue and the dead bacteria for it to grow around. However, with DIM, the wounds heal faster because it doesn’t kill the bacteria.
Since it doesn’t kill the bacteria, you don’t end up with a layer of dead tissue for the tissue to grow over. This heals the wound much quicker. It’s an interesting concept, and Professor Ariel Kushmaro, one of the researchers behind the study, told The Times of Israel that using DIM to treat wounds is “a game-changer.”
Additionally, Kushmaro noted that while the approach to how DIM fights bacteria is different than antibiotics, it could become a staple of the fight in the future. But how does it do that? Well, DIM blocks the signals bacteria use to communicate. Since they can’t communicate, they can’t do their job. This makes the bacteria more vulnerable to the immune system, allowing the wounds to heal faster.
