UTILIZATION OF GREEN BETEL LEAF STEW AS A NATURAL WOUND WASHING AGENT TO ACCELERATE HEALING OF DIABETIC FOOT WOUNDS

Abstract

Diabetic foot sores are one of the chronic complications of diabetes mellitus that is at risk of causing disability, amputation, and death. Wound management generally uses chemical antiseptic solutions such as povidone-iodine or physiological NaCl, but long-term use can cause irritation and slow down the healing process. A natural alternative that has begun to be developed is green betel leaves (Piper betle Linn), which are known to contain flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and eugenols. This ingredient acts as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and supports tissue regeneration, so it has the potential to be used as a natural wound wash. This study uses a quasi experimental design with a pre-post test group design approach. The sample consisted of 34 patients with diabetic leg wounds, divided into two groups consisting of 17 respondents receiving wound treatment using green betel leaf decoction, while the other 17 respondents used NaCl solution Intervention was carried out every 3 days for 1 month (8 treatments). Wound healing evaluation was carried out using the Perdanakusuma II questionnaire and analyzed by the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) test. The results showed that both interventions were effective in lowering the category of severe injuries and increasing the number of patients recovering. Nevertheless, the use of green betel leaf decoction shows advantages in terms of stability and consistency of the wound healing process. These findings confirm the potential of green betel leaves as a safe, effective, efficient, and economical treatment solution.