Topical Ointment Prepared from Iraqi Date Palm Kernel Oil for the Management of Diabetic Skin Dryness and Cracking in Salah Al-Din Governorate A primary study

Abstract

Diabetes and dermatological complications caused by diabetes (especially xerosis and fissures) are clinically significant because they provide a route for infection. This study was designed to evaluate a new topical ointment containing Iraqi date palm kernel oil (DPKO) for diabetic patients with these conditions. A total of 60 diabetic participants located in Salah Al-Din Governorate,  Iraq,  were  randomly  assigned  to  1  of  4  groups  of  15 participants  each, and instructed  to apply the ointment  containing  0% (control, F0), 5% (F5), 10% (F10), or 15% (F15) DPKO weight/weight (w/w) daily for 4 weeks. A physical and chemical analysis of the oil indicated that DPKO has a moderately unsaturated fatty acid profile (iodine value 65.4 g I₂/100g), a low level of lipid oxidation (peroxide value 3.1 meq O₂/kg),  and  is  an  excellent  source  of  antioxidants  (total  phenolic concentration 25.3 mgGAE/g; α-tocopherol content 120 mg/100g). All four formulations of ointment demonstrated excellent physical stability, and the pH of all formulations was between 5.5 - 5.9, comparable to normal human skin pH of 5.5 - 6.0. The overall dry skin score (ODSS) was used to assess clinical efficacy, and as expected, there was an improvement in all groups, with the greatest reduction in ODSS seen in the F15 group (P < 0.01), indicating a clear dose-dependent relationship. No adverse effects were noted. The findings of this study indicate that Iraqi DPKO is a safe and effective natural emollient, with the efficacy increasing with the increase in concentration of DPKO.