Microwave-Assisted Physically Cross-Linked Chitosan-Sodium Alginate Hydrogel Membrane Doped with Curcumin as a Novel Wound Healing Platform

A review of green technology assisted starch-based nanohydrogels adsorbent to remove pollutant from water

Biopolymeric adsorbent materials, derived from renewable sources, have attained significant attention due to their eco-friendliness, biodegradability, and cost-effectiveness. Among various biopolymers, starch stands out as an ideal base material for formulating advanced adsorbents. Its unique molecular structure, biocompatibility, and ease of modification make it highly effective for fabricating nanohydrogels with enhanced adsorption properties. Starch-based nanohydrogels exhibit potential characteristics, including high water absorbency, tunable porosity, and significant surface area, making them suitable for removing a wide range of pollutants from water. Moreover, their non-toxic nature and compatibility with green synthesis approaches align with global sustainability goals and environmental safety standards. Therefore, this review reveals the synthesis, characterization, and application of starch-based nanohydrogels as efficient adsorbents for diverse water pollutants, including heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and organic contaminants. Various modification techniques to improve their adsorption efficiency, selectivity, and reusability are critically analyzed. The study highlights the advantages of green synthesis methods emphasizing their role in achieving sustainable water treatment solutions. A comparative assessment with conventional adsorbents underscores the potential of starch-based nanohydrogels under varied environmental conditions. Overall, the review concludes by emphasizing the transformative potential of starch-based nanohydrogels in addressing complex pollution scenarios contributing to mitigating water pollution and supporting environmental sustainability.

Nanoemulgel mediated enhanced skin curcumin penetration/retention for local treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: in vitro and in vivo assessment

BACKGROUND

Skin delivery of a therapeutically effective drug is imperative for local cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) treatment.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to formulate, optimize, and characterize curcumin-loaded nanoemulgel for enhanced skin drug retention to treat CL locally.

METHODS

Nanoemulsions were prepared by high-speed homogenization, characterized, and optimized for size, PDI, zeta potential, stability, morphology, drug contents, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro drug release, antileishmanial activity, and cell viability. The optimized nanoemulsion (C3) was then incorporated into a carbopol-based gel and evaluated for pH, viscosity, spreadability, and in vitro drug release. Both formulations were then assessed for ex-vivo and in vivo skin permeation/retention, and pharmacokinetic analysis.

RESULTS

All nanoemulsion formulations had size in nano range with negative surface charge, homogeneously distributed, with spherical droplet geometries, where C3 being highly stable, had good encapsulation efficiency and drug contents (85 ± 5.4 and 68 ± 3.2%), released 90% of drug within 4 h, while C3 gel released the drug significantly sustained up to 46% in 24 h. The C3 formulation demonstrated significant in vitro antileishmanial activity across all tested concentrations, while the IC50 value against NIH3T3 fibroblasts was 0.6202 mM (Log IC50: 2.7, R2: 0.98). The C3 gel showed significantly low skin permeation (341.7 ± 43.6 and 52.6 ± 8.9 µg) with significantly higher skin drug retention (129.5 ± 16.7 and 190.2 ± 33.4 µg) ex-vivo and in vivo, with significantly lower Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞.

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that curcumin nanoemulgel could be an effective alternative strategy for treating CL locally.

Mupirocin-Doped α-Cellulose Nanopaper for Wound Dressing: Development, In Vitro Characterization and Antimicrobial Studies

This research aimed to develop a mupirocin-doped α-cellulose nanopaper (MDAC-NP) as a wound dressing to accelerate wound healing while limiting localized bacterial growth. The α-cellulose nanofibrils suspension was prepared by ultrasonication followed by microfluidization and subsequently doped with 0.05% w/v mupirocin to prepare nanopaper (MDAC-NP-A). The optimized batch of MDAC-NP had a porosity of 47.46 ± 0.60%, a thickness of 30 μm and a tensile strength of 0.113 MPa. The transmission electron microscopy images revealed long, slender, intertwined nanofibrillar structures and the scanning electron microscopy confirmed stable lamellar structures with tight nanofibrillar networks, giving them translucency. MDAC-NP-A had an excellent water vapor transmission rate of 2963 ± 10.26 g/m2/day, providing an optimal moist environment locally to promote wound healing. The mupirocin inclusion in the nanopapers was corroborated by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and its crystallinity by X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry results. The 100% drug release, was observed at 12 h from optimized MDAC-NP-A with a controlled release pattern. The MDAC-NP showed better antimicrobial activity, against S. aureus (41 mm) than E. coli (25 mm) and P. aeruginosa (17 mm) and was found to be better than marketed ointment. Thus, mupirocin-doped α-cellulose nanopapers emerge as a potential wound dressing for treating primary and secondary skin infections caused by external wounds.

Eco-Friendly Microwave Synthesis of Sodium Alginate-Chitosan Hydrogels for Effective Curcumin Delivery and Controlled Release

In this study, we developed sodium alginate-chitosan hydrogels using a microwave-assisted synthesis method, aligning with green chemistry principles for enhanced sustainability. This eco-friendly approach minimizes chemical use and waste while boosting efficiency. A curcumin:2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin complex was incorporated into the hydrogels, significantly increasing the solubility and bioavailability of curcumin. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the structure and successful incorporation of curcumin, in both its pure and complexed forms, into the polymer matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed distinct thermal transitions influenced by the hydrogel composition and physical cross-linking. Hydrogels with higher alginate content had higher swelling ratios (338%), while those with more chitosan showed the lowest swelling ratios (254%). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed a porous structure as well as successful incorporation of curcumin or its complex. Curcumin release studies indicated varying releasing rates between its pure and complexed forms. The chitosan-dominant hydrogel exhibited the slowest release rate of pure curcumin, while the alginate-dominant hydrogel exhibited the fastest. Conversely, for curcumin from the inclusion complex, a higher chitosan proportion led to the fastest release rate, while a higher alginate proportion resulted in the slowest. This study demonstrates that the form of curcumin incorporation and gel matrix composition critically influence the release profile. Our findings offer valuable insights for designing effective curcumin delivery systems, representing a significant advancement in biodegradable and sustainable drug delivery technologies.

Unveiling the Therapeutic Potential of Systemic Ozone on Skin Wound Repair: Clinical, Histological, and Immunohistochemical Study in Rats

This study sought to examine the effects of systemic ozone (O3) treatment on the healing of skin wounds induced on the dorsal surface of Wistar rats. The skin wounds were created using a 10 mm round punch following the sagittal medial plane in 72 rats. Then, the animals were randomly assigned to four groups, each receiving the following treatments: group C, which did not undergo treatment with the O3/O2 mixture; group OZ0.3, administered the O3/O2 mixture at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg; group OZ0.7, given the O3/O2 mixture at a dose of 0.7 mg/kg; and group OZ1.0, provided with the O3/O2 mixture at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg. Six animals from each group were euthanized at 7, 14, and 21 days postoperatively. Clinical, histological, histometric, and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses were accomplished. Data from clinical and histometric assessments revealed that OZ0.7 and OZ1.0 demonstrated more favorable healing, with greater wound contraction observed in the OZ1.0 group at 14 and 21 days. Histologically, the OZ1.0 group exhibited aspects consistent with an accelerated tissue repair process. IHC analysis revealed greater vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunostaining in the OZ0.7 (7 days) and OZ1.0 (7 and 14 days) groups compared to the C group. Expression of transforming growth factor beta-1 was significantly increased in the OZ0.7 (14 days) and OZ1.0 (7 and 14 days) groups compared to the C group. In conclusion, our data suggest that systemic use of O3 enhanced tissue repair in cutaneous wounds in a dose-dependent manner, with concentrations of 1.0 mg/kg providing the most beneficial effects. Furthermore, the results of this study implicate the use of O3 for the treatment of skin wounds aiming at improving the healing process over time. Our findings suggest the use of O3 as a viable alternative to enhance wound healing and repair.

Fabrication and characterization of physically crosslinked alginate/chitosan-based hydrogel loaded with neomycin for the treatment of skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen widely involved in wound infection due to its ability to release several virulence factors that impair the skin healing process, as well as its mechanism of drug resistance. Herein, sodium alginate and chitosan were combined to produce a hydrogel for topical delivery of neomycin to combat S. aureus associated with skin complications. The hydrogel was formulated by combining sodium alginate (50 mg/mL) and chitosan (50 mg/mL) solutions in a ratio of 9:1 (HBase). Neomycin was added to HBase to achieve a concentration of 0.4 mg/mL (HNeo). The incorporation of neomycin into the product was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, FTIR and TGA analysis. The hydrogels produced are homogeneous, have a high swelling capacity, and show biocompatibility using erythrocytes and fibroblasts as models. The formulations showed physicochemical and pharmacological stability for 60 days at 4 ± 2 °C. HNeo totally inhibited the growth of S. aureus after 4 h. The antimicrobial effects were confirmed using ex vivo (porcine skin) and in vivo (murine) wound infection models. Furthermore, the HNeo-treated mice showed lower severity scores than those treated with HBase. Taken together, the obtained results present a new low-cost bioproduct with promising applications in treating infected wounds.

Curcumin-loaded alginate hydrogels for cancer therapy and wound healing applications: A review

Hydrogels have emerged as a versatile platform for a numerous biomedical application due to their ability to absorb a huge quantity of biofluids. In order to design hydrogels, natural polymers are an attractive option owing to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Due to abundance in occurrence, cost effectiveness, and facile crosslinking approaches, alginate has been extensively investigated to fabricate hydrogel matrix. Management of cancer and chronic wounds have always been a challenge for pharmaceutical and healthcare sector. In both cases, curcumin have been shown significant improvement and effectiveness. However, the innate restraints like poor bioavailability, hydrophobicity, and rapid systemic clearance associated with curcumin have restricted its clinical translations. The current review explores the cascade of research around curcumin encapsulated alginate hydrogel matrix for wound healing and cancer therapy. The focus of the review is to emphasize the mechanistic effects of curcumin with its fate inside the cells. Further, the review discusses different approaches to designed curcumin loaded alginate hydrogels along with the parameters that regulates their release behavior. Finally, the review is concluded with emphasize on some key aspect on increasing the efficacy of these hydrogels along with novel strategies to further develop curcumin loaded alginate hydrogel matrix with multifacet applications.

Curcumin Release from Biomaterials for Enhanced Tissue Regeneration Following Injury or Disease

Curcumin, a bioactive phenol derived from turmeric, is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial molecule. Although curcumin exhibits beneficial effects in its innate form, it is highly hydrophobic, which leads to poor water solubility and, consequently, low bioavailability. The lack of bioavailability limits curcumin's effectiveness as a treatment and restricts its use in clinical applications. Furthermore, to achieve beneficial, clinically relevant results, high doses of curcumin are required for systemic administration. Many researchers have utilized biomaterial carriers, including electrospun fibers, nanoparticles, hydrogels, and composite scaffolds, to overcome curcumin's principle therapeutic limitation of low bioavailability. By using biomaterials to deliver curcumin directly to injury sites, researchers have harnessed the beneficial natural properties of curcumin while providing scaffolding to support tissue regeneration. This review will provide an in-depth overview of the literature that utilizes biomaterial delivery of curcumin for tissue regeneration in injury and disease models.

Biomembrane-Based Nanostructure- and Microstructure-Loaded Hydrogels for Promoting Chronic Wound Healing

Wound healing is a complex and dynamic process, and metabolic disturbances in the microenvironment of chronic wounds and the severe symptoms they cause remain major challenges to be addressed. The inherent properties of hydrogels make them promising wound dressings. In addition, biomembrane-based nanostructures and microstructures (such as liposomes, exosomes, membrane-coated nanostructures, bacteria and algae) have significant advantages in the promotion of wound healing, including special biological activities, flexible drug loading and targeting. Therefore, biomembrane-based nanostructure- and microstructure-loaded hydrogels can compensate for their respective disadvantages and combine the advantages of both to significantly promote chronic wound healing. In this review, we outline the loading strategies, mechanisms of action and applications of different types of biomembrane-based nanostructure- and microstructure-loaded hydrogels in chronic wound healing.

Different Curcumin-Loaded Delivery Systems for Wound Healing Applications: A Comprehensive Review

Curcumin or turmeric is the active constituent of Curcuma longa L. It has marvelous medicinal applications in many diseases. When the skin integrity is compromised due to either acute or chronic wounds, the body initiates several steps leading to tissue healing and skin barrier function restoration. Curcumin has very strong antibacterial and antifungal activities with powerful wound healing ability owing to its antioxidant activity. Nevertheless, its poor oral bioavailability, low water solubility and rapid metabolism limit its medical use. Tailoring suitable drug delivery systems for carrying curcumin improves its pharmaceutical and pharmacological effects. This review summarizes the most recent reported curcumin-loaded delivery systems for wound healing purposes, chiefly hydrogels, films, wafers, and sponges. In addition, curcumin nanoformulations such as nanohydrogels, nanoparticles and nanofibers are also presented, which offer better solubility, bioavailability, and sustained release to augment curcumin wound healing effects through stimulating the different healing phases by the aid of the small carrier.

Fabrication of Curcumin-Loaded Silk Fibroin and Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Hydrogel Films for Skin Wound Healing

Skin regeneration of full-thickness wounds remains a challenge, requiring a well-regulated interplay of cell-cell and cell-matrix signaling. Herein, the composite hydrogel films composed of silk fibroin (SF) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as scaffolds loaded with curcumin nanoparticles (Cur NPs) were developed for skin wound healing. The structure and physicochemical properties of hydrogel films were first evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle, and chemical and mechanical measurements. In addition, the as-fabricated composite hydrogel films have a unique 3D structure and excellent biocompatibility that facilitates the adhesion and growth of cells. Antimicrobial tests in vitro showed that they could inhibit the growth of bacteria due to the incorporation of Cur NPs into composite hydrogel films. The efficacy of the curcumin-loaded SF/PVA composite hydrogel films for skin wound healing was investigated on the skin defect model in vivo. Immunological analysis showed that the as-fabricated Cur NP-loaded SF/PVA composite hydrogel films inhibited inflammation at the wound sites, while promoting angiogenesis during the wound healing process.