Rod-shaped keratin nanoparticles extracted from human hair by acid hydrolysis as photothermally triggered berberine delivery system

AIE-active PVA/berberine antibacterial hydrogel for wound healing, visual monitoring pH and dehydration

The antibacterial hydrogels have attracted a significant amount of interest for preventing bacterial infection in wound healing. However, irreversible antibiotic resistance and lagging detection of wound infection are still current research pain points for hydrogel wound dressings. This study successfully prepared and characterized a novel aggregation-induced PVA/SA/BBR hydrogel. BBR confers significant antibacterial potential to PVA/SA/BBR hydrogels avoiding the use of antibiotics. The results indicate that PVA/SA/BBR hydrogels displayed antibacterial activity against S. aureus, enhanced wound healing process, negligible cytotoxicity, and low hemolytic activity (<5 %). Molecular docking analysis indicate that BBR could inhibit the activity of FabH of E. coli and S. aureus, with a respective binding energy of -9.0185 and -8.4037 kcal/mol. Moreover, the real-time in situ monitoring and quantifying of wound pH levels could be realized by RGB signals collected and transformed from the visible-fluorescent images. PVA/SA/BBR hydrogels also provided significant fluorescent signals visible to the naked eye due to the AIE effect of BBR when the hydrogel severely loses water. All of these signals suggested anti-infective therapy and hydrogel replacement. Therefore, PVA/SA/BBR hydrogels as efficient non-antibiotic-dependent wound dressings with significant therapeutic effect on skin wounds provide potential applications in wound healing, flexible wearable sensing and drug delivery.

Transforming Cancer Treatment with Nanotechnology: The Role of Berberine as a Star Natural Compound

Berberine (BBR), recognized as an oncotherapeutic phytochemical, exhibits its anti-cancer properties via multiple molecular pathways. However, its clinical application is hindered by suboptimal tumor accumulation, rapid systemic elimination, and diminished bioactive concentration owing to extensive metabolic degradation. To circumvent these limitations, the strategic employment of nanocarriers and other drugs in combination with BBR is emerging as a focus to potentiate its anti-cancer efficacy. This review introduced the expansive spectrum of BBR's anti-cancer activities, BBR and other drugs co-loaded nanocarriers for anti-cancer treatments, and evaluated the synergistic augmentation of these amalgamated modalities. The aim is to provide an overview of BBR for cancer treatment based on nano-delivery. Berberine (BBR), recognized as an oncotherapeutic phytochemical, exhibits its anti-cancer properties via multiple molecular pathways. However, its clinical application is hindered by suboptimal tumor accumulation, rapid systemic elimination, and diminished bioactive concentration owing to extensive metabolic degradation. To circumvent these limitations, the strategic employment of nanocarriers and other drugs in combination with BBR is emerging as a focus to potentiate its anti-cancer efficacy. Nano-delivery systems increase drug concentration at the tumor site by improving pharmacological activity and tissue distribution, enhancing drug bioavailability. Organic nanocarriers have advantages for berberine delivery including biocompatibility, encapsulation, and controlled release of the drug. While the advantages of inorganic nanocarriers for berberine delivery mainly lie in their efficient loading ability of the drug and their slow release ability of the drug. This review introduced the expansive spectrum of BBR's anti-cancer activities, BBR and other drugs co-loaded nanocarriers for anti-cancer treatments, and evaluated the synergistic augmentation of these amalgamated modalities. The aim is to provide an overview of BBR for cancer treatment based on nano-delivery.

Synthesis of Keratin Nanoparticles Extracted from Human Hair through Hydrolysis with Concentrated Sulfuric Acid: Characterization and Cytotoxicity

Human hair, composed primarily of keratin, represents a sustainable waste material suitable for various applications. Synthesizing keratin nanoparticles (KNPs) from human hair for biomedical uses is particularly attractive due to their biocompatibility. In this study, keratin was extracted from human hair using concentrated sulfuric acid as the hydrolysis agent for the first time. This process yielded KNPs in both the supernatant (KNPs-S) and precipitate (KNPs-P) phases. Characterization involved scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta potential analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). KNPs-S and KNPs-P exhibited average diameters of 72 ± 5 nm and 27 ± 5 nm, respectively. The hydrolysis process induced a structural rearrangement favoring β-sheet structures over α-helices in the KNPs. These nanoparticles demonstrated negative Zeta potentials across the pH spectrum. KNPs-S showed higher cytotoxicity (CC50 = 176.67 µg/mL) and hemolytic activity, likely due to their smaller size compared to KNPs-P (CC50 = 246.21 µg/mL), particularly at concentrations of 500 and 1000 µg/mL. In contrast, KNPs-P did not exhibit hemolytic activity within the tested concentration range of 32.5 to 1000 µg/mL. Both KNPs demonstrated cytocompatibility with fibroblast cells in a dose-dependent manner. Compared to other methods reported in the literature and despite requiring careful washing and neutralization steps, sulfuric acid hydrolysis proved effective, rapid, and feasible for producing cytocompatible KNPs (biomaterials) in single-step synthesis.

Carboxymethylcellulose hydrogels crosslinked with keratin nanoparticles for efficient prednisolone delivery

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and keratin nanoparticle (KNP) hydrogels were obtained, characterized, and applied as drug delivery systems (DDSs) for the first time. Lyophilized CMC/KNP mixtures containing 10, 25, and 50 wt% of KNPs were kept at 170 °C for 90 min to crosslink CMC chains through a solid-state reaction with the KNPs. The hydrogels were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction, mechanical measurements, and scanning electron microscopy. The infrared spectra indicated the formation of ester and amide linkages between crosslinked CMC and KNPs. The elastic modulus of the hydrogel containing 10 wt% KNPs was 2-fold higher than that of the hydrogel containing 50 wt% KNPs. The mechanical properties influenced the hydrogel stability and water uptake. The anti-inflammatory prednisolone (PRED) drug was incorporated into the hydrogels, and the release mechanism was investigated. The hydrogels supported PRED release by drug desorption for approximately 360 h. A sustained release mechanism was achieved. The CMC/KNP and CMC/KNP/PRED hydrogels were cytocompatible toward mammalian cells. The CMC/KNP/PRED set imparted the highest cell viability after 7 days of incubation. This study showed a straightforward procedure to create DDSs (chemically crosslinked) based on polysaccharides and proteins for efficient PRED delivery.

Preparation Methods and Functional Characteristics of Regenerated Keratin-Based Biofilms

The recycling, development, and application of keratin-containing waste (e.g., hair, wool, feather, and so on) provide an important means to address related environmental pollution and energy shortage issues. The extraction of keratin and the development of keratin-based functional materials are key to solving keratin-containing waste pollution. Keratin-based biofilms are gaining substantial interest due to their excellent characteristics, such as good biocompatibility, high biodegradability, appropriate adsorption, and rich renewable sources, among others. At present, keratin-based biofilms are a good option for various applications, and the development of keratin-based biofilms from keratin-containing waste is considered crucial for sustainable development. In this paper, in order to achieve clean production while maintaining the functional characteristics of natural keratin as much as possible, four important keratin extraction methods—thermal hydrolysis, ultrasonic technology, eco-friendly solvent system, and microbial decomposition—are described, and the characteristics of these four extraction methods are analysed. Next, methods for the preparation of keratin-based biofilms are introduced, including solvent casting, electrospinning, template self-assembly, freeze-drying, and soft lithography methods. Then, the functional properties and application prospects of keratin-based biofilms are discussed. Finally, future research directions related to keratin-based biofilms are proposed. Overall, it can be concluded that the high-value conversion of keratin-containing waste into regenerated keratin-based biofilms has great importance for sustainable development and is highly suggested due to their great potential for use in biomedical materials, optoelectronic devices, and metal ion detection applications. It is hoped that this paper can provide some basic information for the development and application of keratin-based biofilms.

Valorization of Human Hair and Its Derivatives in Tissue Engineering: A Review

Human hair is a potential biomaterial for biomedical applications. Improper disposal of human hair may pose various adverse effects on the environment and human health. Therefore, proper management of human hair waste is pivotal. Human hair fiber and its derivatives offer various advantages as biomaterials such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, radical scavenging, electroconductivity, and intrinsic biological activity. Therefore, the favorable characteristics of human hair have rendered its usage in tissue engineering (TE) applications including skin, cardiac, nerve, bone, ocular, and periodontal. Moreover, the strategies by utilizing human hair as a biomaterial for TE applications may reduce the accumulation of human hair. Thus, it also improves human hair waste management while promoting natural, environmental-friendly, and nontoxic materials. Furthermore, promoting sustainable materials production will benefit human health and well-being. Hence, this article reviews and discusses human hair characteristics as sustainable biomaterials and their recent application in TE applications. Impact Statement This review article highlights the sustainability aspects of human hair as raw biomaterials and various elements of human hair that could potentially be used in tissue engineering (TE) applications. Furthermore, this article discusses numerous benefits of human hair, highlighting its value as biomaterials in bioscaffold development for TE applications. Moreover, this article reviews the role and effect of human hair in various TE applications, including skin, cardiac, nerve, bone, ocular, and periodontal.

Expatiating the Pharmacological and Nanotechnological Aspects of the Alkaloidal Drug Berberine: Current and Future Trends

Traditionally, herbal compounds have been the focus of scientific interest for the last several centuries, and continuous research into their medicinal potential is underway. Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from plants that possess a broad array of medicinal properties, including anti-diarrheal, anti-fibrotic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, antihyperlipidemic, antihypertensive, antiarrhythmic, antidepressant, and anxiolytic effects, and is frequently utilized as a traditional Chinese medicine. BBR promotes metabolisms of glucose and lipids by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, stimulating glycolysis and inhibiting functions of mitochondria; all of these ameliorate type 2 diabetes mellitus. BBR has also been shown to have benefits in congestive heart failure, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome. BBR has been investigated as an interesting pharmacophore with the potential to contribute significantly to the research and development of novel therapeutic medicines for a variety of disorders. Despite its enormous therapeutic promise, the clinical application of this alkaloid was severely limited because of its unpleasant pharmacokinetic characteristics. Poor bioavailability, limited absorption, and poor water solubility are some of the obstacles that restricted its use. Nanotechnology has been suggested as a possible solution to these problems. The present review aims at recent updates on important therapeutic activities of BBR and different types of nanocarriers used for the delivery of BBR in different diseases.