Synthesis of chemically cross-linked hydrogel films based on basil seed (Ocimum basilicum L.) mucilage for wound dressing drug delivery applications

Natural drug delivery systems for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Today, herbal drugs are prominent in the pharmaceutical industry due to their well-known therapeutic and side effects. Plant-based compounds often face limitations such as poor solubility, low bioavailability, and instability in physiological environments, restricting their therapeutic efficacy and delivery. Nanotechnology-based solutions, including nanoparticle formulations and advanced delivery systems like liposomes and transfersomes, address these issues by enhancing solubility, stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery, thereby optimizing the therapeutic potential of phytoactive compounds. Neuroinflammation can be a cause of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Consequently, there is a need for the optimal delivery of a pharmacological anti-inflammatory agents to the CNS. Thus, the non-invasive administration of a stable compound at a therapeutic concentration is needed to assure molecule crossing through the blood-brain barrier. Natural resources have more structural diversity and novelty than synthetic compounds, e.g. plant-derived drug products have higher molecular weights, incorporate more oxygen atoms, and are more complex. As a result, plant-derived products have unique features which can be used to effectively modulate neuroinflammation. Therefore, this review aims to identify herbal molecules capable of targeting neuroinflammation and present novel strategies for their efficient delivery.

Application of self-assembled antibacterial nanofiber loaded oriented artificial skin in infected diabetic-related wound regeneration

Diabetic patients develop wounds that exhibit delayed healing, prolonged inflammatory responses, and slower epithelialization kinetics compared to non-diabetic patients. Diabetic foot ulcers(DFUs) affect approximately 18.6 million people worldwide. The presence of a high glucose microenvironment in DFUs results in the significant accumulation of bacterial infection and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). To solve this, a self-assemble antibacterial nanofiber(ANF) loaded oriential artificial skin (ANF@OAS) was introduced in this research, which is consisted of L/D-phenylalanine derivatives coupled the natural antimicrobial peptides. The ANF@OAS can effectively reduce AGEs production and suppress multiple resistant bacteria. Additionally, the ANF@OAS can suppress infection and stimulate wound healing in infected diabetic mice.

pH factors in chronic wound and pH-responsive polysaccharide-based hydrogel dressings

Chronic wounds present a significant healthcare challenge marked by complexities such as persistent bleeding, inhibited cell proliferation, dysregulated inflammation, vulnerability to infection, and compromised tissue remodeling. Conventional wound dressings often prove inadequate in addressing the intricate requirements of chronic wound healing, leading to slow healing and heightened susceptibility to infections in patients with prolonged medical conditions. Bacterial biofilms in chronic wounds pose an additional challenge due to drug resistance. Advanced wound dressings have emerged as promising tools in expediting the healing process. Among these, pH-responsive polysaccharide-based hydrogels exhibit immense prospect by adapting their functions to dynamic wound conditions. Despite their potential, the current literature lacks a thorough review of these wound dressings. This review bridges this gap by meticulously examining factors related to chronic wounds, current strategies for healing, and the mechanisms and potential applications of pH-responsive hydrogel wound dressings as an emerging therapeutic solution. Special focus is given to their remarkable antibacterial properties and significant self-healing abilities. It further explores the pH-monitoring functions of these dressings, elucidating the associated pH indicators. This synthesis of knowledge aims to guide future research and development in the field of pH-responsive wound dressings, providing valuable insights into their potential applications in wound care.

Electron beam irradiation developed cinnamon oil- (polyvinyl alcohol/gum tragacanth)/graphene oxide dressing hydrogels: Antimicrobial and healing assessments

This study aimed to develop hydrogel dressings for wound healing composed of gum tragacanth (TG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) loaded with Graphene oxide (GO) and Cinnamon oil (CMO) using electron beam irradiation. The impact of the preparation conditions and the incorporation of GO and CMO on the characteristic properties of the prepared CMO-(PVA/TG)-GO wound dressings was evaluated. The healing-related characteristics were assessed, including fluid absorption and retention, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), hemolytic assay, and antimicrobial potential. Wound healing efficacy was evaluated using a scratch wound healing assay. FTIR analysis verified the chemical structure, whereas scanning electron microscopy demonstrated an appropriate porosity structure necessary for optimal wound healing. The gel content increases with the initial total polymer concentration and the irradiation dose increases. Higher GO and CMO content improve the gel content and decreases swelling. WVTR decreases with the rise in CMO content. In vitro, cytotoxicity and hemolytic potency assessments confirmed their biocompatibility. The incorporation of GO and CMO enhances the antimicrobial activity and wound-healing capability. Based on the above findings, CMO-(PVA/TG)-GO dressings show promising potential as candidates for wound care.

Fast fabrication of "all-in-one" injectable hydrogels as antibiotic alternatives for enhanced bacterial inhibition and accelerating wound healing

Skin wound infection has become a notable medical threat. Herein, the polysaccharide-based injectable hydrogels with multifunctionality were developed by a simple and fast gelation process not only to inactivate bacteria but also to accelerate bacteria-infected wound healing. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) loaded PCN-224 nanoparticles were introduced into the polymer matrix formed by the dynamic and reversible coordinate bonds between Ag+ with carboxyl and amino or hydroxyl groups on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions in the polymer to fabricate SNP@PCN@Gel hydrogels. SNP@PCN@Gel displayed interconnected porous structure, excellent self-healing capacity, low cytotoxicity, good blood compatibility, and robust antibacterial activity. SNP@PCN@Gel could produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO along with Fe2+, and showed long-term sustained release of Ag+, thereby effectively killing bacteria by synergistic photothermal (hyperthermia), photodynamic (ROS), chemodynamic (Fenton reaction), gas (NO) and ion (Ag+ and -NH3+ in CMCS) therapy. Remarkably, the hydrogels significantly promoted granulation tissue formation, reepithelization, collagen deposition and angiogenesis as well as wound contraction in bacteria-infected wound healing. Taken together, the strategy represented a general method to engineer the unprecedented photoactivatable "all-in-one" hydrogels with enhanced antibacterial activity and paved a new way for development of antibiotic alternatives and wound dressing.

Hydrogels Based on Proteins Cross-Linked with Carbonyl Derivatives of Polysaccharides, with Biomedical Applications

Adding carbonyl groups into the hydrogel matrix improves the stability and biocompatibility of the hydrogels, making them suitable for different biomedical applications. In this review article, we will discuss the use of hydrogels based on polysaccharides modified by oxidation, with particular attention paid to the introduction of carbonyl groups. These hydrogels have been developed for several applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and wound healing. The review article discusses the mechanism by which oxidized polysaccharides can introduce carbonyl groups, leading to the development of hydrogels through cross-linking with proteins. These hydrogels have tunable mechanical properties and improved biocompatibility. Hydrogels have dynamic properties that make them promising biomaterials for various biomedical applications. This paper comprehensively analyzes hydrogels based on cross-linked proteins with carbonyl groups derived from oxidized polysaccharides, including microparticles, nanoparticles, and films. The applications of these hydrogels in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and wound healing are also discussed.

Stimuli-responsive glucuronoxylan polysaccharide from quince seeds for biomedical, food packaging, and environmental applications

Mucilage is a gelatinous mixture of polysaccharides secreted from the seed coat and/or pericarp of many plant seeds when soaked in water. Mucilage affected seed germination while maintaining hydration levels during scarcity. Cydonia oblonga (quince) seeds are natural hydrocolloids extruding biocompatible mucilage mainly composed of polysaccharides. Quince seed mucilage (QSM) has fascinated researchers due to its applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. On a commercial scale, QSM preserved the sensory and physiochemical properties of various products such as yogurt, desserts, cakes, and burgers. QSM is responsive to salts, pH, and solvents and is mainly investigated as edible coatings in the food industry. In tablet formulations, modified and unmodified QSM as a binder sustained the release of various drugs such as cefixime, capecitabine, diclofenac sodium, theophylline, levosulpiride, diphenhydramine, metoprolol tartrate, and acyclovir sodium. QSM acted as a reducing and capping agent to prepare nanoparticles for good antimicrobial resistance, photocatalytic characteristics, and wound-healing potential. The present review discussed the extraction optimization, chemical composition, stimuli-responsiveness, and viscoelastic properties of mucilage. The potential of mucilage in edible films, tissue engineering, and water purification will also be discussed.

Synthesis and drug release kinetics of ciprofloxacin from polyacrylamide/dextran/carbon quantum dots (PAM/Dex/CQD) hydrogels

Sustainable release of drug by utilizing β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) based inclusion complex (IC) is the prime objective of the present work. Herein, polyacrylamide/dextran containing carbon quantum dots (PAM/Dex/CQD) nanocomposite hydrogels are prepared by in situ polymerization of acrylamide. The incorporation of CQD triggers the change in orientation of the PAM/Dex polymeric chains to result the formation of stacked surface morphology of the hydrogel. The average particle size of CQD is found to be 4.13 nm from HRTEM analysis. As-synthesized nanocomposite hydrogel exhibits an optimum swelling ratio of 863 % in aqueous medium. The cytotoxicity study is conducted on HeLa cells by taking up to 2 μM concentration of the prepared nanocomposite hydrogel demonstrate 78 % cell viability. In present study, ciprofloxacin (Cipro) is taken as model drug that achieves release of 64.15 % in 32 h from β-Cipro@PAM/Dex/CQD hydrogels in acidic medium. From theoretical study, release rate constants, R2, Akaike information criterion (AIC) and model selection criterion (MSC) are computed to determine the best fitted kinetics model. Peppas-Sahlin model is the best fitted kinetics model for β-Cipro@PAM/Dex/CQD and concluded that the release of Cipro follows Fickian drug diffusion mechanism in acidic medium.

Nanocellulose-assisted mechanically tough hydrogel platforms for sustained drug delivery

The controlled delivery of the desired bioactive molecules is required to achieve the maximum therapeutic effects with minimum side effects. Biopolymer-based hydrogels are ideal platforms for delivering the desired molecules owing to their superior biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low-immune response. However, the prolonged delivery of the drugs through biopolymer-based hydrogels is restricted due to their weak mechanical stability. We developed mechanically tough and biocompatible hydrogels to address these limitations using carboxymethyl chitosan, sodium alginate, and nanocellulose for sustained drug delivery. The hydrogels were cross-linked through calcium ions to enhance their mechanical strength. Nanocellulose-added hydrogels exhibited improved mechanical strength (Young's modulus; 23.36 → 30.7 kPa, Toughness; 1.39 → 5.65 MJm-3) than pure hydrogels. The composite hydrogels demonstrated increased recovery potential (66.9 → 84.5 %) due to the rapid reformation of damaged polymeric networks. The hydrogels were stable in an aqueous medium and demonstrated reduced swelling potential. The hydrogels have no adverse effects on embryonic murine fibroblast (3 T3), showing their biocompatibility. No bacterial growth was observed in hydrogels-treated groups, indicating their antibacterial characteristics. The sustained drug released was observed from nanocellulose-assisted hydrogel scaffolds compared to the pure polymer hydrogel scaffold. Thus, hydrogels have potential and could be used as a sustained drug carrier.

Investigations on physiochemical and biomedical properties of Aloe vera - Sterculia gum copolymeric dressings impregnated with antibiotic-anesthetic drugs to enhance wound healing

Recently, various innovative advancements have been made in carbohydrate research to design versatile materials for biomedical applications. The current research focuses on the development of copolymeric hydrogel wound dressings (HWD) using a combination of aloe vera (AV) - sterculia gum (SG) - poly (vinylsulfonic acid) (VSA)-based with the aim to enhancing their efficacy in drug delivery (DD) applications. These hydrogel dressings were encapsulated with levofloxacin and lidocaine to address both microbial infection and pain. Copolymers were characterized by FESEM, SEM, EDS, AFM, 13C NMR, FTIR, XRD, and TGA-DTG analysis. Hydrogel exhibited a fluid absorption capacity of 4.52 ± 0.12 g per gram of polymeric dressing in simulated wound conditions. The hydrogels displayed a sustained release of drugs, demonstrating a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. Polymer dressings revealed antibacterial, mucoadhesive, antioxidant, biocompatible and non-cytotoxic properties. Additionally, HWD displayed permeability to O2 and water vapour, yet was impermeable to microbial penetration. Overall, the findings of physiological, biochemical and drug delivery properties demonstrated the suitability of materials for wound dressing applications.

Linden-based mucilage biodegradable films: A green perspective on functional and sustainable food packaging

This study focuses on the utilization of linden mucilage, extracted from the linden tree, as a potential natural polymer source for the production of composite films. The films, which incorporating linden water extract, essential oil, and oil, exhibited improved thermal stability, surface morphology, and water resistance. Biodegradability assessments, particularly for films using essential oil and oil, showed promising outcomes by maintaining structural integrity. Antimicrobial assays demonstrated significant resistance against pathogens, indicating potential applications requiring microbial resistance. Mechanical analyses revealed a trade-off between tensile strength and elongation at break with addition of components. Composite films exhibited reduced water vapor permeability which correlate with water solubility and contact angle measurements. Soil biodegradation studies highlighted the films' potential to mitigate environmental impact. Cytotoxicity tests confirmed the safety of these films for potential food applications. Additionally, antioxidant assays showed increased radical scavenging activity in films with added components. In conclusion, linden-based composite films exhibit promising characteristics, suggesting their potential as sustainable and functional materials, particularly for use in food packaging.

Construction methods and biomedical applications of PVA-based hydrogels

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel is favored by researchers due to its good biocompatibility, high mechanical strength, low friction coefficient, and suitable water content. The widely distributed hydroxyl side chains on the PVA molecule allow the hydrogels to be branched with various functional groups. By improving the synthesis method and changing the hydrogel structure, PVA-based hydrogels can obtain excellent cytocompatibility, flexibility, electrical conductivity, viscoelasticity, and antimicrobial properties, representing a good candidate for articular cartilage restoration, electronic skin, wound dressing, and other fields. This review introduces various preparation methods of PVA-based hydrogels and their wide applications in the biomedical field.

Unveiling the potential of linseed mucilage, its health benefits, and applications in food packaging

Industrial waste products derived from the oil industry often contain valuable substances and elements with great potential. These by-products can be used for various purposes, including as nutrients, bioactive compounds, fuels, and polymers. Linseed mucilage (LM) is one such example of a beneficial by-product obtained from linseed. It possesses favorable chemical and functional properties, depending on its method of extraction. Different pretreatments, such as enzymatic extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, pulse electric field, and ultrasound-assisted extraction, have been explored by various researchers to enhance both the yield and quality of mucilage. Furthermore, LM has exhibited therapeutic effects in the treatment of obesity, diabetes, constipation, hyperlipidemia, cancer, and other lifestyle diseases. Additionally, it demonstrates favorable functional characteristics that make it suitable to be used in bioplastic production. These properties preserve food quality, prolong shelf life, and confer antimicrobial activity. It also has the potential to be used as a packaging material, especially considering the increasing demand for sustainable and biodegradable alternatives to plastics because of their detrimental impact on environmental health. This review primarily focuses on different extraction techniques used for linseed mucilage, its mechanism of action in terms of health benefits, and potential applications in food packaging.

TiB2-Derived Nanosheets Enhance the Tensile Strength and Controlled Drug Release of Biopolymeric Films Used in Wound Healing

Wound healing using an alginate-based biopolymeric film is one of the most preferred treatments. However, these films lack mechanical strength (elasticity and tensile strength), show higher initial burst release, and exhibit high vapor permeability. The present study reports the development of nanosheets derived from titanium diboride (10 nm) (NTB)-incorporated biopolymeric films (0.025, 0.05, and 0.1% w/v) using sodium alginate (SA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to overcome the shortfalls. The surface properties of the film, nanosheet distribution within the film, and possible interactions with the film are explored by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These analyses confirm that nanosheets are uniformly distributed in the film and introduce unevenness on the film's surface. The tensile strength of the nanosheet-incorporated film (0.1% NTB film) using UTM is found to be 24.30 MPa (six times higher compared to the blank film), equivalent to human skin. The water vapor transmission rate of the film is also found to be in the desired range (i.e., 2000-2500 g/m2 day). The biocompatibility of the NTB film is confirmed by the MTT assay test using NIH/3T3 cells and HEK 293 cells. Furthermore, the scratch assay shows that the developed films promote cell migration and proliferation. The antibacterial activity of the film is also demonstrated using a model drug, tetracycline hydrochloride (TCl). Besides, the film exhibits the sustained release of TCl and follows the Korsmeyer-Peppas model for drug release. Overall, the 0.1% w/v NTB film is easy to fabricate, biocompatible and shows superior mechanical properties.

The recent progress in the research of extraction and functional applications of basil seed gum

Basil seed gum (BSG) is a new hydrophilic colloid of natural plant origin. Extracted from basil seeds, it possesses excellent functional characteristics in terms of emulsification, rheology, gelation, stability, and adsorption, which are just as favorable as those of certain commercial gums. Besides, BSG has been widely used in food, medicine, industry, and many other fields for its physiological functions of weight reduction, detoxification, and control of blood sugar and cholesterol as a good dietary fiber. In this paper, we analyzed and discussed the extraction procedures, composition structures, functional characteristics, and modification strategies of BSG. In addition, we summarized the latest research on the applications of BSG in different industries to provide theoretical references for the high-value processing and utilization of BSG.

Box-Behnken design to optimize the cross-linked sodium alginate/mucilage/Aloe vera film: Physical and mechanical studies

The crosslinked sodium alginate/mucilage/Aloe vera/glycerin was optimized by different ratios of each factor to be an absorption wound dressing base for infected wound healing. Mucilage was extracted from seeds of Ocimum americanum. The Box-Behnken design (BBD) in response surface methodology (RSM) was used to construct an optimal wound dressing base with the target ranges of mechanical and physical properties of each formulation. The independent variables selected were sodium alginate (X1: 0.25-0.75 g), mucilage (X2: 0.00-0.30 g), Aloe vera (X3: 0.00-0.30 g), and glycerin (X4: 0.00-1.00 g). The dependent variables were tensile strength (Y1: low value), elongation at break (Y2: high value), Young's modulus (Y3: high value), swelling ratio (Y4: high value), erosion (Y5: low value), and moisture uptake (Y6: high value). The results showed that the wound dressing base with the most desirable response consists of sodium alginate (59.90 % w/w), mucilage (23.96 % w/w), and glycerin (16.14 % w/w) without Aloe vera gel powder (0.00 % w/w).

From Plants to Wound Dressing and Transdermal Delivery of Bioactive Compounds

Transdermal delivery devices and wound dressing materials are constantly improved and upgraded with the aim of enhancing their beneficial effects, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and cost effectiveness. Therefore, researchers in the field have shown an increasing interest in using natural compounds as constituents for such systems. Plants, as an important source of so-called "natural products" with an enormous variety and structural diversity that still exceeds the capacity of present-day sciences to define or even discover them, have been part of medicine since ancient times. However, their benefits are just at the beginning of being fully exploited in modern dermal and transdermal delivery systems. Thus, plant-based primary compounds, with or without biological activity, contained in gums and mucilages, traditionally used as gelling and texturing agents in the food industry, are now being explored as valuable and cost-effective natural components in the biomedical field. Their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity compensate for local availability and compositional variations. Also, secondary metabolites, classified based on their chemical structure, are being intensively investigated for their wide pharmacological and toxicological effects. Their impact on medicine is highlighted in detail through the most recent reported studies. Innovative isolation and purification techniques, new drug delivery devices and systems, and advanced evaluation procedures are presented.

Hydrogel fibers for wearable sensors and soft actuators

Owing to superior softness, wetness, responsiveness, and biocompatibility, bulk hydrogels are being intensively investigated for versatile functions in devices and machines including sensors, actuators, optics, and coatings. The one-dimensional (1D) hydrogel fibers possess the metrics from both the hydrogel materials and structural topology, endowing them with extraordinary mechanical, sensing, breathable and weavable properties. As no comprehensive review has been reported for this nascent field, this article aims to provide an overview of hydrogel fibers for soft electronics and actuators. We first introduce the basic properties and measurement methods of hydrogel fibers, including mechanical, electrical, adhesive, and biocompatible properties. Then, typical manufacturing methods for 1D hydrogel fibers and fibrous films are discussed. Next, the recent progress of wearable sensors (e.g., strain, temperature, pH, and humidity) and actuators made from hydrogel fibers is discussed. We conclude with future perspectives on next-generation hydrogel fibers and the remaining challenges. The development of hydrogel fibers will not only provide an unparalleled one-dimensional characteristic, but also translate fundamental understanding of hydrogels into new application boundaries.

Biomass derived reduced-graphene-oxide supported α-Fe2O3/ZnO S-scheme heterostructure: Robust photocatalytic wastewater remediation

The emergence of new diseases and the unplanned industrialization of cities have led to new diseases and the subsequent use of antibiotics. Hence the remediation of wastewater containing antibiotics and their severe pollution has raised serious concerns in recent years. Herein coral-shaped α-Fe₂O₃/ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (r-GO)-like carbon heterojunction in-situ were prepared from basil seed as a sustainable biomass resource and applied for the photodegradation of the oxytetracycline (OTC) as a typical antibiotic in a helical plug flow photoreactor (HPFPR) via persulfate activation under visible light irradiation. Spectroscopy and electrochemical results confirmed the tunable band structure and quick light absorption, superior charge separation and transfer, satisfactory charge carrier lifetime, and long-term stability for the prepared photocatalyst. The 98% degradation efficiency was achieved for OTC within 90 min fitted by a first-order kinetic model with the rate constant of 0.1248 min^-1. The finding proves that HPFPR exhibited a higher degradation rate of OTC by 2.3 times compared to the batch reactor. The 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model confirmed the outstanding performance of the HPFPR. Scavenging experiments integrated with mott Schottky and DRS results revealed that rGO intensifies the S-scheme charge carrier transfer and built-in electric field and reduces the recombination. Finally, this work has substantial potential for the in-situ synthesis of environmental-friendly and large-scale metal oxide heterojunctions in natural carbon supports as well as scale-up and gives novel insights from molecular and engineering points of view into the wastewater remediation processes and clean water production.

A comprehensive review on pharmaceutical uses of plant-derived biopolysaccharides

Biopolysaccharides extracted from plants are mainly photosynthetic byproducts found in leaves, pods, stems, fruits, grains, seeds, corms, rhizomes, roots, bark exudates, and other plant parts. Recently, these plant-derived biopolysaccharides have received a great deal of attention as pharmaceutical excipients in a range of different dosage forms because of several key advantages, such as widespread accessibility from nature as plant-based sources are readily available, sustainable production, availability of easy and cost-effective extraction methodologies, aqueous solubility, swelling capability in the aqueous medium, non-toxicity, biodegradability, etc. The current review presents a comprehensive overview of the uses of plant-derived biopolysaccharides as effective pharmaceutical excipients in the formulations of different kinds of dosage forms, for example gels, pastes, films, emulsions, suspensions, capsules, tablets, nanoparticles, microparticles, beads, buccal formulations, transdermal formulations, ocular formulations, nasal formulations, etc.

pH-Responsive wound dressings: advances and prospects

Wound healing is a complex and dynamic process, in which the pH value plays an important role in reflecting the wound status. Wound dressings are materials that are able to accelerate the healing process. Among the multifunctional advanced wound dressings developed in recent years, pH-responsive wound dressings, especially hydrogels, show great potential owing to their unique properties of adjusting their functions according to the wound conditions, thereby allowing the wound to heal in a regulated manner. However, a comprehensive review of pH-responsive wound dressings is lacking. This review summarizes the design strategies and advanced functions of pH-responsive hydrogel wound dressings, including their excellent antibacterial properties and significant pro-healing abilities. Other advanced pH-responsive materials, such as nanofibers, composite films, nanoparticle clusters, and microneedles, are also classified and discussed. Next, the pH-monitoring functions of pH-responsive wound dressings and the related pH indicators are summarized in detail. Finally, the achievements, challenges, and future development trends of pH-responsive wound dressings are discussed.

Mucilage polysaccharide as a plant secretion: Potential trends in food and biomedical applications

Current trends are shifting away from using synthetic compounds in favor of discovering new natural component sources that will allow them to create goods that are healthful, environmentally friendly, sustainable, and profitable. The food industry, in light of these trends, has opted to look for safe natural ingredients that will allow the production of low-fat, artificial-additive-free, gluten-free, prebiotic, and fortified foods. Similarly, the pharmaceutical and medical industries have attempted to apply natural ingredients to address the challenges related to biomaterials more efficiently than synthetic ingredients. Against this background, plant mucilage has proven to be a polysaccharide with excellent health features and technological properties, useful for both food and biomedical applications. Many studies have shown that its inclusion in different food matrices improves the quality of the products obtained under appropriate reformulations. At the same time, plant mucilage has been indicated to be a very interesting matrix in biomedical field especially tissue engineering applications since it has been emerged to favor tissue regeneration with its highly biocompatible structure. This concise review discusses the most recent advances of the applications of plant mucilage in different foods as well as its recent use in biomedical field. In this context, firstly, a general definition of mucilage was made and information about plant-based mucilage, which is frequently used, about the plant parts they are found in, their content and how they are obtained are presented. Then, the use of mucilage in the food industry including bakery products, meat emulsions, fermented dairy products, ice cream, and other foods is presented with case studies. Afterwards, the use of plant mucilage in the biomedical field, which has attracted attention in recent years, especially in applications with tissue engineering approach such as scaffolds for tissue regeneration, wound dressings, drug delivery systems and pharmaceutical industry was evaluated.

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization Methods for Evaluation of Modern Wound Dressings

Chronic wound management represents a major challenge in the healthcare sector owing to its delayed wound-healing process progression and huge financial burden. In this regard, wound dressings provide an appropriate platform for facilitating wound healing for several decades. However, adherent traditional wound dressings do not provide effective wound healing for highly exudating chronic wounds and need the development of newer and innovative wound dressings to facilitate accelerated wound healing. In addition, these dressings need frequent changing, resulting in more pain and discomfort. In order to overcome these issues, a wide range of affordable and innovative modern wound dressings have been developed and explored recently to accelerate and improve the wound healing process. However, a comprehensive understanding of various in vitro and in vivo characterization methods being utilized for the evaluation of different modern wound dressings is lacking. In this context, an overview of modern dressings and their complete in vitro and in vivo characterization methods for wound healing assessment is provided in this review. Herein, various emerging modern wound dressings with advantages and challenges have also been reviewed. Furthermore, different in vitro wound healing assays and in vivo wound models being utilized for the evaluation of wound healing progression and wound healing rate using wound dressings are discussed in detail. Finally, a summary of modern wound dressings with challenges and the future outlook is highlighted.

Development of guar gum-based dual-layer wound dressing containing Lactobacillus plantarum: Rapid recovery and mechanically flexibility

This study aimed to develop a Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum)-loaded dual-layer wound dressing (DLD) with excellent wound recovery and mechanical properties. L. plantarum-loaded DLD was fabricated by covering the hydrogel (inner layer) with a hydrocolloid (external layer). The hydrocolloid was manufactured by the hot-melt method, consisting of liquid paraffin, polyisobutylene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (12:20:25:43, w/w/w/w). In contrast, the hydrogel was fabricated by the freeze-and-thaw method to load heat-labile L. plantarum. Various non-ionic materials have been investigated to select appropriate hydrogel components. The hydrogel composed of L. plantarum stock solution, guar gum, and polyvinyl alcohol (10:2:10, w/w/w) was chosen for its excellent swelling capacity and mechanical properties. As a result, heat-labile L. plantarum was successfully loaded into the guar-gum-based DLD. Moreover, guar gum-based DLD containing L. plantarum exhibited significantly enhanced swelling capacity and elasticity compared to single hydrogel layer (swelling capacity: DLD, 920.7 ± 32.4 % vs. hydrogel, 282.2 ± 6.5 %; elastic modulus: DLD, 2.9 ± 0.3 × 10^-3 N/mm² vs. hydrogel, 4.2. ± 0.7 × 10^-3 N/mm²). The wound recovery test using Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected animal model and histological profiles confirmed guar gum-based DLD containing L. plantarum to elicit accelerated wound recovery with complete re-epithelialization compared to commercial product and non-treated (recovery rate at Day 3: DLD, 67.8 ± 6.2 % vs. commercial product, 30.4 ± 11.7 % vs. non-treated, 14.2 ± 7.5 %). Therefore, L. plantarum-loaded DLD is an effective system for wound treatment.

Multifunctional effects of wound dressing based on chitosan-coordinated argentum with resistant bacterial penetration

Third-degree scald, causing serious tissue destruction with continuous pain, easily leads to microbial infections and delayed wound healing. Therefore, a multifunctional treatment is attractive for seriously damaged tissue. Herein, carboxymethyl chitosan-coordinated argentum (Ag-CMC) was synthesized via a complexation method, and then the Ag⁺ release, antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, pain relief and wound healing properties of Ag-CMC were investigated in vitro and in vivo. The results revealed that Ag⁺ had interacted with carboxymethyl chitosan, containing approximately 1.2% of silver. The Ag-CMC (50-200 μg/mL) with Ag⁺ sustained release exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, drug-resistant E. coli, PA, MRSA and good biocompatibility with L929 cells. Furthermore, antibacterial and wound healing experiments demonstrated that Ag-CMC achieved an effective contraction rate of 90% after 28 days by accelerating re-epithelialization, regulating inflammation response, relieving pain and infections. Therefore, Ag-CMC is a safe multifunctional treatment for wound healing and infections.

Active Potential of Bacterial Cellulose-Based Wound Dressing: Analysis of Its Potential for Dermal Lesion Treatment

The use of innate products for the fast and efficient promotion of healing process has been one of the biomedical sector's main bets for lesion treatment modernization process. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize bacterial cellulose-based (BC) wound dressings incorporated with green and red propolis extract (2 to 4%) and the active compounds p-coumaric acid and biochanin A (8 to 16 mg). The characterization of the nine developed samples (one control and eight active wound dressings) evidenced that the mechanics, physics, morphological, and barrier properties depended not only on the type of active principle incorporated onto the cellulosic matrix, but also on its concentration. Of note were the results found for transparency (28.59-110.62T₆₀₀ mm^-1), thickness (0.023-0.046 mm), swelling index (48.93-405.55%), water vapor permeability rate (7.86-38.11 g m² day^-1), elongation (99.13-262.39%), and antioxidant capacity (21.23-86.76 μg mL^-1). The wound dressing based on BC and red propolis was the only one that presented antimicrobial activity. The permeation and retention test revealed that the wound dressing containing propolis extract presented the most corneal stratum when compared with viable skin. Overall, the developed wound dressing showed potential to be used for treatment against different types of dermal lesions, according to its determined proprieties.

Multi-Responsive Optimization of Novel pH-Sensitive Hydrogel Beads Based on Basil Seed Mucilage, Alginate, and Magnetic Particles

Conventional drug delivery systems often cause side effects and gastric degradation. Novel drug delivery systems must be developed to decrease side effects and increase the efficacy of drug delivery. This research aimed to fabricate hydrogel beads for use as a drug delivery system based on basil seed mucilage (BSM), sodium alginate (SA), and magnetic particles (MPs). The Taguchi method and Grey relational analysis were used for the design and optimization of the hydrogel beads. Three factors, including BSM, SA, and MPs at four levels were designed by L-16 orthogonal arrays. BSM was the main factor influencing bead swelling, drug release rate at pH 7.4, and release of antioxidants at pH 1.2 and 7.4. In addition, SA and MPs mainly affected drug loading and drug release rate in acidic medium, respectively. Grey relational analysis indicated that the composition providing optimal overall properties was 0.2 vol% BSM, 0.8 vol% SA, and 2.25 vol% MPs. Based on the findings of this work, BSM/SA/MPs hydrogel beads have the potential to be used as a pH-sensitive alternative material for drug delivery in colon-specific systems.

Wound Microenvironment-Responsive Protein Hydrogel Drug-Loaded System with Accelerating Healing and Antibacterial Property

Growth factors play a vital role in wound healing, and novel hydrogel carriers suitable for growth factors have always been a research hotspot in the wound healthcare field. In this work, a wound microenvironment-responsive hydrogel drug-loading system was constructed by cross-linking of the internal electron-deficient polyester and bovine serum albumin (BSA) via catalyst-free amino-yne bioconjugation. The slightly acidic microenvironment of wound tissues induces the charge removal of BSA chains, thus releasing the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) loaded through electrostatic action. Besides, the BSA chains in the gel network further endow their excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, also making them more suitable for bFGF loading. The wound caring evaluation of the hydrogel in the full-thickness skin wound indicated that the protein-based hydrogel significantly promotes the proliferation and differentiation of fibroblasts, collagen accumulation, and epidermal layer stacking, thus significantly shortening the healing process. This strategy paved the way for broadening the application of the growth factors in the wound care field.

Compositional analysis and physicochemical evaluation of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) mucilage for medicinal purposes

Objectives

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) mucilage obtained from its dried fruits was evaluated to check the proximate composition and physicochemical properties.

Methods

Commercially available date palm mucilage was precipitated using ethanol. Both (crude and purified) mucilage samples were subjected for proximate, physiochemical, biochemical and antioxidant activity using standard experimental protocols. Elemental analysis of crude date palm mucilage was also performed using LIBS.

Results

Ethanol was used to purify the mucilage (58.4% yield). Proximate analysis was carried out on crude and purified mucilages showing crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, total carbohydrates, nitrogen free extract and total energy in purified mucilage were more than the crude mucilage. Moisture and ash contents were found more in crude mucilage than the purified mucilage. Laser introduced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) detected Zn, Mg, Mn, K, Na, Cu, Fe and Ca metals as components of mucilage. Biochemical profiling indicated that crude and purified mucilage have proteins, protease, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, amylase, ascorbate peroxidase, free amino acids, total soluble sugars, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total anthocyanin, free anthocyanin, total flavonoid contents and total phenolic contents.

Conclusion

The study shows that date palm mucilage could be potentially used as pharmaceutical and medicinal ingredient due to presence of bioactive compounds and its physicochemical properties.

Multilayered mucoadhesive hydrogel films based on Ocimum basilicum seed mucilage/thiolated alginate/dopamine-modified hyaluronic acid and PDA coating for sublingual administration of nystatin

The present study establishes an experimental design for the preparation of new bi and tri-layer mucoadhesive sublingual films based on basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seed mucilage (OBM) as novel plant-polysaccharide for oromucosal administration of nystatin (Nys). The films formulation consists of a drug reservoir-mucoadhesive layer cross-linked via CaCl₂, with protective mucoadhesive layers based on thiolated alginate (TA) and polydopamine (PDA). OBM served as a new mucoadhesive polysaccharide in second layers, where the dopamine-modified-hyaluronic acid (DHA) improved the mucoadhesive strength and swelling rate properties. The drug-loaded formulations of trilayer film with PDA coating, and bilayer film with DHA/OBM (1:1) in the second layer, showed the desired mucoadhesion properties (about 69 and 75.3% respectively). The obtained results revealed that the bilayer film containing DHA had a superior swelling degree in the range of 15-19 (g/g). While the PDA coating sample showed the highest resistance to water uptake and erosion. The bilayer film (DHA/OBM with 1:1 ratio) provided a maximum drug release of 86% after 4 h. The selected formulations indicated good mechanical properties with no cytotoxicity.

Cyclodextrin-Containing Hydrogels: A Review of Preparation Method, Drug Delivery, and Degradation Behavior

Hydrogels possess porous structures, which are widely applied in the field of materials and biomedicine. As a natural oligosaccharide, cyclodextrin (CD) has shown remarkable application prospects in the synthesis and utilization of hydrogels. CD can be incorporated into hydrogels to form chemically or physically cross-linked networks. Furthermore, the unique cavity structure of CD makes it an ideal vehicle for the delivery of active ingredients into target tissues. This review describes useful methods to prepare CD-containing hydrogels. In addition, the potential biomedical applications of CD-containing hydrogels are reviewed. The release and degradation process of CD-containing hydrogels under different conditions are discussed. Finally, the current challenges and future research directions on CD-containing hydrogels are presented.

Preparation of Cross-linked Chitosan Quaternary Ammonium Salt Hydrogel Films Loading Drug of Gentamicin Sulfate for Antibacterial Wound Dressing

Hydrogels, possessing high biocompatibility and adaptability to biological tissue, show great usability in medical applications. In this research, a series of novel cross-linked chitosan quaternary ammonium salt loading with gentamicin sulfate (CTMCSG) hydrogel films with different cross-linking degrees were successfully obtained by the reaction of chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (TMCS) and epichlorohydrin. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to characterize the chemical structure and surface morphology of CTMCSG hydrogel films. The physicochemical property, gentamicin sulphate release behavior, cytotoxicity, and antibacterial activity of the CTMCSG against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were determined. Experimental results demonstrated that CTMCSG hydrogel films exhibited good water stability, thermal stability, drug release capacity, as well as antibacterial property. The inhibition zone of CTMCSG hydrogel films against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus could be up to about 30 mm. Specifically, the increases in maximum decomposition temperature, mechanical property, water content, swelling degree, and a reduction in water vapor permeability of the hydrogel films were observed as the amount of the cross-linking agent increased. The results indicated that the CTMCSG-4 hydrogel film with an interesting physicochemical property, admirable antibacterial activity, and slight cytotoxicity showed the potential value as excellent antibacterial wound dressing.

Fabrication and Characterization of Poly (vinyl alcohol) and Chitosan Oligosaccharide-Based Blend Films

In the present study, we report the development of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS)-based novel blend films. The concentration of COS was varied between 2.5-10.0 wt% within the films. The inclusion of COS added a brown hue to the films. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that the extent of intermolecular hydrogen bonding was most prominent in the film that contained 5.0 wt% of COS. The diffractograms showed that COS altered the degree of crystallinity of the films in a composition-dependent manner. As evident from the thermal analysis, COS content profoundly impacted the evaporation of water molecules from the composite films. Stress relaxation studies demonstrated that the blend films exhibited more mechanical stability as compared to the control film. The impedance profiles indicated the capacitive-dominant behavior of the prepared films. Ciprofloxacin HCl-loaded films showed excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus. The prepared films were observed to be biocompatible. Hence, the prepared PVA/COS-based blend films may be explored for drug delivery applications.

A novel esterase DacApva from Comamonas sp. strain NyZ500 with deacetylation activity for acetylated polymer polyvinyl alcohol

As a water-soluble polymer, the widely used polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is produced from hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate. Microbial PVA carbon backbone cleavage via a two-step reaction of dehydrogenation and hydrolysis has been well studied. Content of acetyl group is a pivotal factor affecting performance of PVA derivatives in industrial application, and deacetylation is a non-negligible part in PVA degradation. However, the genetic and biochemical studies of its deacetylation remain largely elusive. Here, Comamonas sp. strain NyZ500 was isolated for its capability of growing on acetylated PVA from activated sludge. A spontaneous PVA-utilization deficient mutant strain NyZ501 was obtained when strain NyZ500 was cultured in rich media. Comparative analysis between the genomes of these two strains revealed a fragment (containing a putative hydrolase gene dacA_pva ) deletion in NyZ501 and dacA_pva-complemented strain NyZ501 restored the ability to grow on PVA. DacA_pva, which shares 21% identity with xylan esterase AxeA1 from Prevotella ruminicola 23, is a unique deacetylase catalyzing the conversion of acetylated PVA and its derivatives to deacetylated counterparts. This indicates that strain NyZ500 utilizes acetylated PVA via acetate as a carbon source to grow. DacA_pva also possessed the deacetylation ability for acetylated xylan and the antibiotic intermediate 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7ACA) but the enzymes for the above two compounds had no activities against PVA derivatives. This study enhanced our understanding of the diversity of microbial degradation of PVA and DacA_pva characterized here is also a potential biocatalyst for the eco-friendly biotransformation of PVA derivatives and other acetylated compounds.IMPORTANCE: Water-soluble PVA, which possesses a very robust ability to accumulate in the environment, has a very grave environmental impact due to its widespread use in industrial and household applications. On the other hand, chemical transformation of PVA derivatives is currently being carried out at high energy consumption and high pollution conditions using hazardous chemicals (such as NaOH, methanol) under high temperatures. The DacA_pva reported here performs PVA deacetylation under mild conditions, then it has a great potential to be developed into an eco-friendly biocatalyst for biotransformation of PVA derivatives. DacA_pva also has deacetylation activity for compounds other than PVA derivatives, which facilitates its development into a broad-spectrum deacetylation biocatalyst for production of certain desired compounds.

Fabrication and characterization of boric acid-crosslinked ethyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol films as potential drug release systems for topical drug delivery

In this study, boric acid (BA) is employed as a crosslinking agent to improve the characteristics of two commonly used polymeric films, ethyl cellulose (EC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), for topical drug delivery applications. The developed films are characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and SEM analysis. The results show that the surfaces of the prepared films are even and transparent, except for the BA-modified EC sample. The initial cumulative release for erythromycin (EM) is found to be 0.30 and 0.36 mg/mL for EC and PVA films, which drops to 0.25 and 0.20 mg/mL after BA crosslinking, respectively, after 1 h at 25 °C. Further, the developed formulations are stable for 75 days. Also, the antibacterial activity of the developed formulations is investigated against S. aureus (ATCC® 25923™ and ATCC® 29213™). The obtained data confirm that the application of BA as the crosslinking agent extends the release of EM from EC and PVA polymeric films. The findings of this study suggest that BA-crosslinked EC and PVA films are promising carriers for controlled topical drug delivery applications.

Dual-function membranes based on alginate/methyl cellulose composite for control drug release and proliferation enhancement of fibroblast cells

Membranes based on natural polymers are highly promising therapies for skin damaged sites as they can mimic its biological microstructure to support the fibroblasts cells survival and proliferation. In addition, these membranes could be loaded with active molecules that help in skin regeneration and eliminate the potential bacterial infection. This research aims to formulate novel medicated membranes for controlled release and cytocompatibility elevation of fibroblast cells for engineering of soft tissue. Pre-formulation researches have been conducted for membranes of sodium alginate (Alg)/methyl cellulose (MC) that used loaded with undoped, Bi doped and Bi, Cu co-doped SrTiO₃ using solvent casting technique. In addition, another group of these membranes were loaded with DOXycycline antibiotic (DOX) as model drug as well as for eliminating the potential bacterial infections. The prepared membranes were evaluated by XRD, SEM-EDX, FTIR, Zetasizer, and swelling behaviour was also tested. Profiles of the released drug were determined using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (pH 7.4) at 37 °C for 30 days. The investigation of the cytocompatibility and proliferation of fibroblast cells with the prepared membranes were conducted. The XRD, FTIR and SEM data recognised the possible interaction that takes place among Alg and MC, through presence of hydrogen bonds. Existence of the nano-particles within the membrane polymer matrix enhanced the membrane stability and enhanced the drug release rate (from 20 to 45%). Medication release mechanism elucidated that DOX was released from all the fabricated membranes through the relaxation of polymer matrix that takes place after swelling. The filler type and/or dopant type possess no remarkable influence on the cytotoxicity of the membranes against the investigated cells when compared to their individual influence on the same cells. Cells attachments results have revealed an impressive effect for DOX-loaded membranes on the cells affinity and growth. These membranes are recommended for treatments of skin infections.