Functionalization of cellulose-based nanocomposite hydrogel films with zinc oxide complex and grapefruit seed extract for potential applications in treating chronic wounds

Anti-rheumatic arthritis efficacy of Pueraria montana extract against type-II collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis rat model an in vitro and in vivo assessment

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Pueraria montana (PM) is a Chinese medicinal herb used to treat alcoholism, inflammation, swelling, and anti-apoptosis. However, the mechanisms and active compounds of PM remain poorly understood.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect multiple joints. Inflammation begins in the synovium and spreads to the surrounding cartilage and bone if left untreated. This study assessed the probable anti-arthritic mechanisms of action of PM extracts. Type II collagen emulsion-induced rheumatoid used as an in vivo model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

TNF-α-stimulated MC cells were used to investigate the mechanism of PM extract in RA, and the PM extract was confirmed using HPLC analysis. The antiproliferative efficacy of PM was assessed by MTT assay, and apoptotic activity was evaluated using Hoechst staining and flow cytometry assessment. Furthermore, the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) ratio and mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Cas-3, Cas-9, and SOCS1 were determined using ELISA and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

PM extract treatment possesses anti-arthritic properties in CIA rats and can suppress inflammation and inhibit the invasion and migration of MH7A cells. The upregulation of Bcl-2, a recognized inhibitor of apoptotic genes, prevents the release of cyto-C into the cytoplasm. The in vivo outcomes showed that PM reduced the arthritis score and toe swelling in CIA rats. In vitro, PM extract exhibited substantial antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic properties on TNF-α-induced MH7A cell lines. The invasive and adhesive properties of MH7A cells decreased, and MMP secretion was reduced.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that the PM extract possesses anti-arthritic properties in the CIA model and is an extension of the clinical treatment of rheumatic arthritis.

Synthesis and characterization of novel carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum - Poly (vinyl alcohol)/guar gum-based hydrogel film loaded with ciprofloxacin for biomedical applications

The current study delineates the synthesis of hydrogel films comprised of carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum (CMTKG), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and guar gum (GG) using glutaraldehyde (GTA) as cross-linker. The hydrogel films were evaluated in terms of equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR), moisture content, thickness, wetting analysis, thermal, and mechanical analysis. The tensile strength value lies in the range of 95.80 to 149.07 MPa while elongation at break value lies in the range of 1.51 to 5.20 %. The FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of hydrogen bonding between CMTKG, PVA, and GG components of hydrogel film. FE-SEM micrographs indicated the rough surfaces of hydrogel film. TGA-DTA analysis confirmed that the thermal stability of hydrogel film was found to be increased by incorporating the ciprofloxacin (CFX) drug into the hydrogel matrix. CFX was embedded in the best-swelled hydrogel film and in-vitro drug release behavior was studied at alkaline pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution. It was found that the maximum drug release was to be 73 % after 24 h at pH 7.4. Moreover, the release data was fitted in various kinetic models such as the First-order, Higuchi, and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. The best-fitted Korsmeyer-Peppas model suggested that the release of the drug follows Fickian diffusion and the value of diffusion exponent (n) was determined to be 0.38. The cytocompatibility of the hydrogel film was analyzed by MTT assay while the antibacterial behavior of the hydrogel film against E. coli and S. aureus showed clear zone of inhibition area. Thus, the overall results indicated that CMTKG/PVA/GG hydrogel film have potential to be used in the biomedical applications.

Bacteria-Derived Cellulose Membranes Modified with Graphene Oxide-Silver Nanoparticles for Accelerating Wound Healing

This study reports on the modification of bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes produced by static fermentation of Komagataeibacter xylinus bacterial strains with graphene oxide-silver nanoparticles (GO-Ag) to yield skin wound dressings with improved antibacterial properties. The GO-Ag sheets were synthesized through chemical reduction with sodium citrate and were utilized to functionalize the BC membranes (BC/GO-Ag). The BC/GO-Ag composites were characterized to determine their surface charge, morphology, exudate absorption, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity by using fibroblast cells. The antimicrobial activity of the wound dressings was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results indicate that the BC/GO-Ag dressings can inhibit ∼70% of E. coli cells. Our findings also revealed that the porous BC/GO-Ag antimicrobial dressings can efficiently retain 94% of exudate absorption after exposure to simulated body fluid (SBF) for 24 h. These results suggest that the dressings could absorb excess exudate from the wound during clinical application, maintaining adequate moisture, and promoting the proliferation of epithelial cells. The BC/GO-Ag hybrid materials exhibited excellent mechanical flexibility and low cytotoxicity to fibroblast cells, making excellent wound dressings able to control bacterial infectious processes and promote the fast healing of dermal lesions.

Comprehensive Review on Fruit Seeds: Nutritional, Phytochemical, Nanotechnology, Toxicity, Food Biochemistry, and Biotechnology Perspective

Fruit seeds are leftovers from a variety of culinary sectors. They are generally unutilized and contribute greatly to global disposals. These seeds not only possess various nutritional attributes but also have many heath-beneficial properties. One way to make use of these seeds is to extract their bioactive components and create fortified food items. Nowadays, researchers are highly interested in creating innovative functional meals and food components from these unconventional resources. The main objective of this manuscript was to determine the usefulness of seed powder from 70 highly consumed fruits, including Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana, Blackberry, Blackcurrant, Blueberry, Cherry, Common plum, Cranberry, Gooseberry, Jackfruit, Jamun, Kiwi, Lemon, Mahua, Mango, Melon, Olive, Orange, and many more have been presented. The nutritional attributes, phytochemical composition, health advantages, nanotechnology applications, and toxicity of these fruit seeds have been fully depicted. This study also goes into in-depth detailing on creating useful food items out of these seeds, such as bakery goods, milk products, cereal-based goods, and meat products. It also identifies enzymes purified from these seeds along with their biochemical applications and any research openings in this area.

Progress on green crosslinking of polysaccharide hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

Natural polysaccharides are being studied for their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and low cost in the fabrication of various hydrogel devices. However, due to their insufficient physicochemical and mechanical qualities, polysaccharide hydrogels alone are not acceptable for biological applications. Various synthetic crosslinkers have been tested to overcome the drawbacks of standalone polysaccharide hydrogels; however, the presence of toxic residual crosslinkers, the generation of toxic by-products following biodegradation, and the requirement of toxic organic solvents for processing pose challenges in achieving the desired non-toxic biomaterials. Natural crosslinkers such as citric acid, tannic acid, vanillin, gallic acid, ferulic acid, proanthocyanidins, phytic acid, squaric acid, and epigallocatechin have been used to generate polysaccharide-based hydrogels in recent years. Various polysaccharides, including cellulose, alginate, pectin, hyaluronic acid, and chitosan, have been hydrogelized and investigated for their potential in drug delivery and tissue engineering applications using natural crosslinkers. We attempted to provide an overview of the synthesis of polysaccharide-based hydrogel systems (films, complex nanoparticles, microspheres, and porous scaffolds) based on green crosslinkers, as well as a description of the mechanism of crosslinking and properties with a special emphasis on drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications.

Multifunctional Hydrogels for the Healing of Diabetic Wounds

The healing of diabetic wounds is hindered by various factors, including bacterial infection, macrophage dysfunction, excess proinflammatory cytokines, high levels of reactive oxygen species, and sustained hypoxia. These factors collectively impede cellular behaviors and the healing process. Consequently, this review presents intelligent hydrogels equipped with multifunctional capacities, which enable them to dynamically respond to the microenvironment and accelerate wound healing in various ways, including stimuli -responsiveness, injectable self-healing, shape -memory, and conductive and real-time monitoring properties. The relationship between the multiple functions and wound healing is also discussed. Based on the microenvironment of diabetic wounds, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and pro-angiogenic strategies are combined with multifunctional hydrogels. The application of multifunctional hydrogels in the repair of diabetic wounds is systematically discussed, aiming to provide guidelines for fabricating hydrogels for diabetic wound healing and exploring the role of intelligent hydrogels in the therapeutic processes.

State-of-the-Art Insights and Potential Applications of Cellulose-Based Hydrogels in Food Packaging: Advances towards Sustainable Trends

Leveraging sustainable packaging resources in the circular economy framework has gained significant attention in recent years as a means of minimizing waste and mitigating the negative environmental impact of packaging materials. In line with this progression, bio-based hydrogels are being explored for their potential application in a variety of fields including food packaging. Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic networks composed of a variety of polymeric materials linked by chemical (covalent bonds) or physical (non-covalent interactions) cross-linking. The unique hydrophilic nature of hydrogels provides a promising solution for food packaging systems, specifically in regulating moisture levels and serving as carriers for bioactive substances, which can greatly affect the shelf life of food products. In essence, the synthesis of cellulose-based hydrogels (CBHs) from cellulose and its derivatives has resulted in hydrogels with several appealing features such as flexibility, water absorption, swelling capacity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, stimuli sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the most recent trends and applications of CBHs in the food packaging sector including CBH sources, processing methods, and crosslinking methods for developing hydrogels through physical, chemical, and polymerization. Finally, the recent advancements in CBHs, which are being utilized as hydrogel films, coatings, and indicators for food packaging applications, are discussed in detail. These developments have great potential in creating sustainable packaging systems.

Modifications of cellulose-based biomaterials for biomedical applications

Cellulose is one of the most abundant organic compounds in nature and is available from diverse sources. Cellulose features tunable properties, making it a promising substrate for biomaterial development. In this review, we highlight advances in the physical processes and chemical modifications of cellulose that enhance its properties for use as a biomaterial. Three cellulosic products are discussed, including nanofibrillated, nanocrystalline, and bacterial cellulose, with a focus on how each may serve as a platform for the development of advanced cellulose-based biomaterials for Biomedical applications. In addition to associating mechanical and chemical properties of cellulosic materials to specific applications, a prospectus is offered for the future development of cellulose-based biomaterials for biomedicine.

Hybrid-Based Wound Dressings: Combination of Synthetic and Biopolymers

Most commercialized wound dressings are polymer-based. Synthetic and natural polymers have been utilized widely for the development of wound dressings. However, the use of natural polymers is limited by their poor mechanical properties, resulting in their combination with synthetic polymers and other materials to enhance their mechanical properties. Natural polymers are mostly affordable, biocompatible, and biodegradable with promising antimicrobial activity. They have been further tailored into unique hybrid wound dressings when combined with synthetic polymers and selected biomaterials. Some important features required in an ideal wound dressing include the capability to prevent bacteria invasion, reduce odor, absorb exudates, be comfortable, facilitate easy application and removal as well as frequent changing, prevent further skin tear and irritation when applied or removed, and provide a moist environment and soothing effect, be permeable to gases, etc. The efficacy of polymers in the design of wound dressings cannot be overemphasized. This review article reports the efficacy of wound dressings prepared from a combination of synthetic and natural polymers.

The Importance of Antioxidant Biomaterials in Human Health and Technological Innovation: A Review

Biomaterials come from natural sources such as animals, plants, fungi, algae, and bacteria, composed mainly of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate molecules. The great diversity of biomaterials makes these compounds promising for developing new products for technological applications. In this sense, antioxidant biomaterials have been developed to exert biological and active functions in the human body and industrial formulations. Furthermore, antioxidant biomaterials come from natural sources, whose components can inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, these materials incorporated with antioxidants, mainly from plant sources, have important effects, such as anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antitumor, and anti-aging, in addition to increasing the shelf-life of products. Aiming at the importance of antioxidant biomaterials in different technological segments as biodegradable, economic, and promising sources, this review presents the main available biomaterials, antioxidant sources, and assigned biological activities. In addition, potential applications in the biomedical and industrial fields are described with a focus on innovative publications found in the literature in the last five years.

Chemical Modification of Bacterial Cellulose for the Development of an Antibacterial Wound Dressing

Bacterial cellulose is a bacterially derived polymer with great potential for application in wound healing due to its innate properties such as high biocompatibility and biodegradability. In addition to this, it is naturally biosynthesized by bacteria as a hydrogel, which makes it an optimal substrate for the treatment of dry wounds, where additional moisture is required to facilitate the healing process. However, this polymer lacks antibacterial properties. As bacterial infections are becoming increasingly common and difficult to treat due to antimicrobial resistance, it is of crucial importance to develop strategies for the modification of cellulose to ensure protection against bacterial contamination. In this study, a green-chemistry approach was proposed for the functionalization of cellulose to introduce antibacterial functional groups. Two different active agents, namely glycidyl trimethylammonium chloride and glycidyl hexadecyl ether, were used for the covalent derivatization of the hydroxyl groups of glucose through a heterogeneous reaction in basic aqueous conditions. The modified material was chemically and mechanically characterized by solid-state techniques and rheological measurements. A biological assessment was then carried out both using bacterial cells and human keratinocytes. It was observed that the functionalization performed induced a reduction of approximately half of the bacterial population within 24 h of direct contact with Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus Rosenbach 6538PTM and Escherichia coli (Migula) Castellani and Chalmers ATCC® 8739TM (respectively, a reduction of 53% and 43% in the cell number was registered for the two strains). In parallel, cytotoxicity studies performed on keratinocytes (HaCaT cell line) showed cell viability in the range of 90 to 100% for up to 6 days of direct contact with both unmodified and modified samples. The morphology of the cells was also visually evaluated, and no significant difference was noted as compared to the control. Finally, the in vitro scratch assay evidenced good wound closure rates in the presence of the samples, with complete coverage of the scratched area after 5 days for both the modified cellulose and the positive control (i.e., keratinocytes growth medium). Overall, the modified hydrogel showed promising features, confirming its potential as an alternative substrate to develop a sustainable, antibacterial and biocompatible wound dressing.