The effect of chrysin–curcumin-loaded nanofibres on the wound-healing process in male rats

Recent advances in molecular mechanisms of skin wound healing and its treatments

The skin, being a multifaceted organ, performs a pivotal function in the complicated wound-healing procedure, which encompasses the triggering of several cellular entities and signaling cascades. Aberrations in the typical healing process of wounds may result in atypical scar development and the establishment of a persistent condition, rendering patients more vulnerable to infections. Chronic burns and wounds have a detrimental effect on the overall quality of life of patients, resulting in higher levels of physical discomfort and socio-economic complexities. The occurrence and frequency of prolonged wounds are on the rise as a result of aging people, hence contributing to escalated expenditures within the healthcare system. The clinical evaluation and treatment of chronic wounds continue to pose challenges despite the advancement of different therapeutic approaches. This is mainly owing to the prolonged treatment duration and intricate processes involved in wound healing. Many conventional methods, such as the administration of growth factors, the use of wound dressings, and the application of skin grafts, are used to ease the process of wound healing across diverse wound types. Nevertheless, these therapeutic approaches may only be practical for some wounds, highlighting the need to advance alternative treatment modalities. Novel wound care technologies, such as nanotherapeutics, stem cell treatment, and 3D bioprinting, aim to improve therapeutic efficacy, prioritize skin regeneration, and minimize adverse effects. This review provides an updated overview of recent advancements in chronic wound healing and therapeutic management using innovative approaches.

The food and biomedical applications of curcumin-loaded electrospun nanofibers: A comprehensive review

Encapsulating curcumin (CUR) in nanocarriers such as liposomes, polymeric micelles, silica nanoparticles, protein-based nanocarriers, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanocrystals could be efficient for a variety of industrial and biomedical applications. Nanofibers containing CUR represent a stable polymer-drug carrier with excellent surface-to-volume ratios for loading and cell interactions, tailored porosity for controlled CUR release, and diverse properties that fit the requirements for numerous applications. Despite the mentioned benefits, electrospinning is not capable of producing fibers from multiple polymers and biopolymers, and the product's effectiveness might be affected by various machine- and material-dependent parameters like the voltage and the flow rate of the electrospinning process. This review delves into the current and innovative recent research on nanofibers containing CUR and their various applications.

Curcumin-based nanoformulations alleviate wounds and related disorders: A comprehensive review

Despite numerous advantages, curcumin's (CUR) low solubility and low bioavailability limit its employment as a free drug. CUR-incorporated nanoformulation enhances the bioavailability and angiogenesis, collagen deposition, fibroblast proliferation, reepithelization, collagen synthesis, neovascularization, and granulation tissue formation in different wounds. Designing nanoformulations with controlled-release properties ensure the presence of CUR in the defective area during treatment. Different nanoformulations encompassing nanofibers, nanoparticles (NPs), nanospray, nanoemulsion, nanosuspension, nanoliposome, nanovesicle, and nanomicelle were described in the present study comprehensively. Moreover, for some other systems which contain nano-CUR or CUR nanoformulations, including some nanofibers, films, composites, scaffolds, gel, and hydrogels seems the CUR-loaded NPs incorporation has better control of the sustained release, and thereby, the presence of CUR until the final stages of wound healing is more possible. Incorporating CUR-loaded chitosan NPs into nanofiber increased the release time, while 80% of CUR was released during 240 h (10 days). Therefore, this system can guarantee the presence of CUR during the entire healing period. Furthermore, porous structures such as sponges, aerogels, some hydrogels, and scaffolds disclosed promising performance. These architectures with interconnected pores can mimic the native extracellular matrix, thereby facilitating attachment and infiltration of cells at the wound site, besides maintaining a free flow of nutrients and oxygen within the three-dimensional structure essential for rapid and proper wound healing, as well as enhancing mechanical strength.

Natural Compounds and Biopolymers-Based Hydrogels Join Forces to Promote Wound Healing

Rapid and complete wound healing is a clinical emergency, mainly in pathological conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Many therapeutic tools are not resolutive, and the research for a more efficient remedial remains a challenge. Wound dressings play an essential role in diabetic wound healing. In particular, biocompatible hydrogels represent the most attractive wound dressings due to their ability to retain moisture as well as ability to act as a barrier against bacteria. In the last years, different functionalized hydrogels have been proposed as wound dressing materials, showing encouraging outcomes with great benefits in the healing of the diabetic wounds. Specifically, because of their excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, natural bioactive compounds, as well as biomacromolecules such as polysaccharides and protein, are usually employed in the biomedical field. In this review, readers can find the main discoveries regarding the employment of naturally occurring compounds and biopolymers as wound healing promoters with antibacterial activity. The emerging approaches and engineered devices for effective wound care in diabetic patients are reported and deeply investigated.

Chrysin-phospholipid complex-based solid dispersion for improved anti-aging and neuroprotective effects in mice

The present study aimed to improve the neuroprotective effect of chrysin (CHR) by combining two formulation techniques, phospholipid (PL) complexation and solid dispersion (SD). CHR-phospholipid complex (CHR-PLC) was prepared through solvent evaporation. The molar ratio CHR/PL (1:3), which exhibited the highest complexation efficiency, was selected for the preparation of CHR-PLC loaded SD (CHR-PLC-SD) with 2-hydroxypropyl β cyclodextrin (2-HPβCD) and polyvinylpyrrolidone 8000. CHR-PLC/2-HPβCD (1:2, w/w) displayed the highest aqueous solubility of CHR (5.86 times more than that of plain CHR). CHR-SD was also prepared using 2-HPβCD for comparison. The in vitro dissolution of CHR-PLC-SD4 revealed an enhancement in the dissolution rate over CHR-PLC (1:3), CHR-SD, and plain CHR by six times. The optimum formulations and plain CHR were evaluated for their neuroprotective effect on brain aging induced by D-galactose in mice. The results demonstrated a behavioral activity elevation, an increase of AMPK, LKB1, and PGC1α brain contents as well as a reduction of AGEs, GFAP, NT-3, TNF-α, and NF-κβ brain contents when compared with those of the D-galactose control group. Thus, the developed formulations stimulated neurogenesis and mitochondrial biogenesis as well as suppressed neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The order of activity was as follows: CHR-PLC-SD4 > CHR-PLC (1:3) > CHR-SD > plain CHR.

Enhancement of Release and Solubility of Curcumin from Electrospun PEO-EC-PVP Tripolymer-Based Nanofibers: A Study on the Effect of Hydrogenated Castor Oil

This study reveals the state-of-the-art fabrication of a tripolymer-based electrospun nanofiber (NF) system to enhance the release, solubility, and transdermal penetration of curcumin (Cur) with the aid of in situ release of infused castor oil (Co). In this regard, Cur-loaded Co-infused polyethylene oxide (PEO), ethyl cellulose (EC), and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) tripolymer-based NF systems were developed to produce a hybridized transdermal skin patch. Weight percentages of 1-4% Cur and 3-10% of Co were blended with PEO-EC-PEO and PEO-EC-PVP polymer systems. The prepared NFs were characterized by SEM, TEM, FT-IR analysis, PXRD, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and XPS. Dialysis membranes and vertical Franz diffusion cells were used to study the in vitro drug release and transdermal penetration, respectively. The results indicated that maintaining a Cur concentration of 1-3 wt % with 3 wt % Co in both PEO-EC-Co-Cur@PEO and PEO-EC-Co-Cur@PVP gave rise to nanofibers with lowered diameters (144.83 ± 48.05-209.26 ± 41.80 nm and 190.20 ± 59.42-404.59 ± 45.31 nm). Lowered crystallinity observed from the PXRD patterns and the disappearance of exothermic peaks corresponding to the melting point of Cur suggested the formation of an amorphous NF structure. Furthermore, the XPS data revealed that the Cur loading will possibly take place at the inner interface of PEO-EC-Co-PEO and PEO-EC-Co-PVP NFs rather than on the surface. The beneficiary role of Co on the release and dermal penetration of Cur was further confirmed from the respective release data which indicated that PEO-EC-Co-Cur@PEO would lead to a rapid release (4-5 h), while PEO-EC-Co-Cur@PVP would lead to a sustained release over a period of 24 h in the presence of Co. Transdermal penetration of the released Cur was further evidenced with the development of color in the receiver compartment of the diffusion cell. DPPH results further corroborated that a sustained antioxidant activity is observed in the released Cur where the free-radical scavenging activity is intact even after subjecting to an electrospinning process and under extreme freeze-thaw conditions.

Wound-Healing Effects of Curcumin and Its Nanoformulations: A Comprehensive Review

Wound healing is an intricate process of tissue repair or remodeling that occurs in response to injury. Plants and plant-derived bioactive constituents are well explored in the treatment of various types of wounds. Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic substance that has been used since ancient times in Ayurveda for its healing properties, as it reduces inflammation and acts on several healing stages. Several research studies for curcumin delivery at the wound site reported the effectiveness of curcumin in eradicating reactive oxygen species and its ability to enhance the deposition of collagen, granulation tissue formation, and finally, expedite wound contraction. Curcumin has been widely investigated for its wound healing potential but its lower solubility and rapid metabolism, in addition to its shorter plasma half-life, have limited its applications in wound healing. As nanotechnology has proven to be an effective technique to accelerate wound healing by stimulating appropriate mobility through various healing phases, curcumin-loaded nanocarriers are used for targeted delivery at the wound sites. This review highlights the potential of curcumin and its nanoformulations, such as liposomes, nanoparticles, and nano-emulsions, etc. in wound healing. This paper emphasizes the numerous biomedical applications of curcumin which collectively prepare a base for its antibiofilm and wound-healing action.

Innovative Treatment Strategies to Accelerate Wound Healing: Trajectory and Recent Advancements

Wound healing is highly specialized dynamic multiple phase process for the repair of damaged/injured tissues through an intricate mechanism. Any failure in the normal wound healing process results in abnormal scar formation, and chronic state which is more susceptible to infections. Chronic wounds affect patients’ quality of life along with increased morbidity and mortality and are huge financial burden to healthcare systems worldwide, and thus requires specialized biomedical intensive treatment for its management. The clinical assessment and management of chronic wounds remains challenging despite the development of various therapeutic regimens owing to its painstakingly long-term treatment requirement and complex wound healing mechanism. Various conventional approaches such as cell therapy, gene therapy, growth factor delivery, wound dressings, and skin grafts etc., are being utilized for promoting wound healing in different types of wounds. However, all these abovementioned therapies are not satisfactory for all wound types, therefore, there is an urgent demand for the development of competitive therapies. Therefore, there is a pertinent requirement to develop newer and innovative treatment modalities for multipart therapeutic regimens for chronic wounds. Recent developments in advanced wound care technology includes nanotherapeutics, stem cells therapy, bioengineered skin grafts, and 3D bioprinting-based strategies for improving therapeutic outcomes with a focus on skin regeneration with minimal side effects. The main objective of this review is to provide an updated overview of progress in therapeutic options in chronic wounds healing and management over the years using next generation innovative approaches. Herein, we have discussed the skin function and anatomy, wounds and wound healing processes, followed by conventional treatment modalities for wound healing and skin regeneration. Furthermore, various emerging and innovative strategies for promoting quality wound healing such as nanotherapeutics, stem cells therapy, 3D bioprinted skin, extracellular matrix-based approaches, platelet-rich plasma-based approaches, and cold plasma treatment therapy have been discussed with their benefits and shortcomings. Finally, challenges of these innovative strategies are reviewed with a note on future prospects.

Engineering and Evaluation of Forcespun Gelatin Nanofibers as an Isorhamnetin Glycosides Delivery System

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill (OFI) is considered a natural source of bioactive phytochemicals, mainly isorhamnetin glycosides (IRGs). These compounds have demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, among others. The development of a suitable delivery system for these compounds is needed to improve their chemical and biological stability. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of fabrication and characterization of IRG-loaded gelatin (GL) forcespun fibers and crosslinking with glutaraldehyde (GTA). Two different percentages (25% and 30% w/v) of GL were evaluated with 12% (w/v) OFI flour to obtain nanofibers GL/OFI1 and GL/OFI2, respectively. The morphology and physicochemical properties of the fibers were investigated. The results indicated that the diameters of the fibers were on the nanoscale. The amount of IRGs was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The IRGs release and the cytocompatibility of the nanofibers were also evaluated. GL concentration significantly affected the IRG release. Among both nanofibers, the GL/OFI2 nanofiber achieved a cumulative IRGs release of 63% after 72 h. Both fibers were shown to be biocompatible with human skin/fibroblast cells. Specifically, GL/OFI1 nanofibers exhibited favorable features for their application as an extract-coupled release system. The IRGs-embedded GL nanofiber mats may become a good alternative for the delivery of phytochemicals for the health sector and biomedical applications.

Fabrication of homogeneously-aligned nano-fillers encapsulated silk fibroin electrospun nanofibers for improved fibroblast attachment, epithelialization, and collagen depositions: in vitro and in vivo wound healing evaluation

Curcumin (CUR), a natural compound found in turmeric that has multiple biological functions such as antibacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and wound healing properties due to its hydrophobicity CUR solubilization is a great challenge. In this study, the electrospinning process is used to fabricate a novel active wound dressing based on CUR loaded silk fibroin (SF)/hydroxyapatite (HAp) (SF/HAp-CUR) nanofibers in diabetic rats. The incorporation of CUR into the SF/HAp-CUR nanofibers had an obvious effect on the morphology and dimension of SF/HAp-CUR nanofibers characterized by SEM analysis. Morphological analysis revealed that the average fiber diameter of the SF/HAp, SF/HAp-CUR(1.0%), SF/HAp-CUR(3.0%), and SF/HAp-CUR(5.0%) nanofibers were calculated to be 461 ± 65 nm, 323 ± 90 nm, 412 ± 110, and 497 ± 118 nm. In addition of CUR in the SF/HAp nanofibers significantly improved the mechanical properties in terms of enhanced elongation at break and tensile strengths. The percentages of water uptake and porosity of SF/HAp-CUR nanofibers were 143.7 ± 4.05% and 92.5 ± 3.40%, respectively. The results showed that CUR presented a sustained release behavior from SF/HAp-CUR nanofibers and maintained its free radical scavenging ability. The prepared nanofibers surface interaction was confirmed by FT-IR and XRD analysis. Antibacterial tests revealed SF/HAp-CUR on day 14 improved the bacterial embarrassment of both E. coli and S. aureus by 4 to 5-fold, respectively. The cell cytotoxicity with L929 mouse fibroblasts on the SF/HAp-CUR nanofibers was very low at 7.7 ± 1.75% on day 14. In vivo wound healing showed that the treatment using SF/HAp-CUR nanofibers significantly increased the rate of wound closure (99.6 ± 0.86%) on day 21 compared with that using SF/HAp nanofibers (67.7 ± 4.25%). These results showed that the delivery of SF/HAp-CUR nanofibers can facilitate antibacterial, anti-oxidant, cytotoxicity of wound healing properties.

Exosomes as Promising Nanostructures in Diabetes Mellitus: From Insulin Sensitivity to Ameliorating Diabetic Complications

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is among the chronic metabolic disorders that its incidence rate has shown an increase in developed and wealthy countries due to lifestyle and obesity. The treatment of DM has always been of interest, and significant effort has been made in this field. Exosomes belong to extracellular vesicles with nanosized features (30-150 nm) that are involved in cell-to-cell communication and preserving homeostasis. The function of exosomes is different based on their cargo, and they may contain lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The present review focuses on the application of exosomes in the treatment of DM; both glucose and lipid levels are significantly affected by exosomes, and these nanostructures enhance lipid metabolism and decrease its deposition. Furthermore, exosomes promote glucose metabolism and affect the level of glycolytic enzymes and glucose transporters in DM. Type I DM results from the destruction of β cells in the pancreas, and exosomes can be employed to ameliorate apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in these cells. The exosomes have dual functions in mediating insulin resistance/sensitivity, and M1 macrophage-derived exosomes inhibit insulin secretion. The exosomes may contain miRNAs, and by transferring among cells, they can regulate various molecular pathways such as AMPK, PI3K/Akt, and β-catenin to affect DM progression. Noteworthy, exosomes are present in different body fluids such as blood circulation, and they can be employed as biomarkers for the diagnosis of diabetic patients. Future studies should focus on engineering exosomes derived from sources such as mesenchymal stem cells to treat DM as a novel strategy.

A Review on Curcumin-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibers and their Application in Modern Medicine

Herbal drugs are safe and show significantly fewer side effects than their synthetic counterparts. Curcumin (an active ingredient primarily found in turmeric) shows therapeutic properties, but its commercial use as a medication is unrealized, because of doubts about its potency. The literature reveals that electrospun nanofibers show simplicity, efficiency, cost, and reproducibility compared to other fabricating techniques. Forcespinning is a new technique that minimizes limitations and provides additional advantages to electrospinning. Polymer-based nanofibers-whose advantages lie in stability, solubility, and drug storage-overcome problems related to drug delivery, like instability and hydrophobicity. Curcumin-loaded polymer nanofibers show potency in healing diabetic wounds in vitro and in vivo. The release profiles, cell viability, and proliferation assays substantiate their efficacy in bone tissue repair and drug delivery against lung, breast, colorectal, squamous, glioma, and endometrial cancer cells. This review mainly discusses how polymer nanofibers interact with curcumin and its medical efficacy.

Promising Natural Products in New Drug Design, Development, and Therapy for Skin Disorders: An Overview of Scientific Evidence and Understanding Their Mechanism of Action

The skin is the largest organ in the human body, composed of the epidermis and the dermis. It provides protection and acts as a barrier against external menaces like allergens, chemicals, systemic toxicity, and infectious organisms. Skin disorders like cancer, dermatitis, psoriasis, wounds, skin aging, acne, and skin infection occur frequently and can impact human life. According to a growing body of evidence, several studies have reported that natural products have the potential for treating skin disorders. Building on this information, this review provides brief information about the action of the most important in vitro and in vivo research on the use of ten selected natural products in inflammatory, neoplastic, and infectious skin disorders and their mechanisms that have been reported to date. The related studies and articles were searched from several databases, including PubMed, Google, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. Ten natural products that have been reported widely on skin disorders were reviewed in this study, with most showing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer effects as the main therapeutic actions. Overall, most of the natural products reported in this review can reduce and suppress inflammatory markers, like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), induce cancer cell death through apoptosis, and prevent bacteria, fungal, and virus infections indicating their potentials. This review also highlighted the challenges and opportunities of natural products in transdermal/topical delivery systems and their safety considerations for skin disorders. Our findings indicated that natural products might be a low-cost, well-tolerated, and safe treatment for skin diseases. However, a larger number of clinical trials are required to validate these findings. Natural products in combination with modern drugs, as well as the development of novel delivery mechanisms, represent a very promising area for future drug discovery of these natural leads against skin disorders.

The Novel Role of Crocus sativus L. in Enhancing Skin Flap Survival by Affecting Apoptosis Independent of mTOR: A Data-Virtualized Study

BACKGROUND

Despite the improvements to enhance skin flap viability, the effects of ischemia-reperfusion (IR), oxidative stress, necrosis, and apoptosis are still challenging. Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) is highly noticeable due to its tissue-protective and antioxidant properties. So, we aimed to investigate its effects on skin flap viability, oxidative stress, apoptosis markers, histopathological changes, and mTOR/p-mTOR expression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

40 Sprauge-Dawley rats, weighting 200-240 g, were divided into four groups including: (1) Sham (8 × 3 cm skin cut, without elevation); (2) Flap Surgery (8 × 3 cm skin flap with elevation from its bed); (3) Saffron 40 mg/kg + Flap Surgery; and (4) Saffron 80 mg/kg + Flap Surgery. Saffron was administrated orally for 7 days. At day 7, flap necrosis percentage, histopathological changes, malondialdehyde level, Myeloperoxidase and superoxide dismutase activity, Bax, Bcl-2, mTOR, and p-mTOR expression were measured. Protein expressions were controlled by β-Actin.

RESULTS

Saffron administration decreased flap necrosis percentage (p < 0.01), which was not dose-dependent. Treatment groups showed significant histological healing signs (Neovascularization, Fibroblast migration, Epithelialization, and Epithelialization thickness), decreased MDA content (p < 0.01), increased SOD (p < 0.01) and decreased MPO activity (p < 0.01). Bax and Bcl-2 expression, decreased and increased respectively in treated groups (p < 0.0001). mTOR and p-mTOR expression were not changed significantly in Saffron treated groups.

CONCLUSION

Saffron could increase skin flap viability, alleviate necrosis, decrease oxidative stress and decrease apoptotic cell death, after skin flap surgery, but it acts independent of the mTOR pathway. So, Saffron could potentially be used clinically to enhance skin flap viability.

NO LEVEL ASSIGNED

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Development of chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide loaded with vanadium doped titanium dioxide patch for visible light driven antibacterial activity and accelerated wound healing application

Wound healing is a multi-stage process that is dynamic, interactive, and complicated. However, many nanomaterials are employed to expedite wound healing by demonstrating antibacterial activity or boosting cell proliferation. But only one phase is focused during the wound healing process. As a result, there is a need for optimum wound dressing materials that promotes different wound healing cascades with ideal properties. Herein, Graphene Oxide loaded with vanadium (V) doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) blended with chitosan, and polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA/GO/TiO₂-V) patch was developed for wound healing. XRD, FTIR and FE-SEM analyses were carried out to study the morphology and structural property of the patch. The fabricated patch has a high surface porosity, excellent moisture vapor transfer rate, appropriate swelling behaviour, and oxygen permeability, which results in an excellent moist environment for wound breathing and effective management of wound exudates. The antibacterial test showed significant antibacterial efficacy against wound infections in the presence of light when compared to dark. In-vitro analysis such as hemocompatibility, cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, and scratch assay show the predicted potential wound healing application with high biocompatibility. These results suggest that CS/PVA/GO/TiO₂-V patch provides a microenvironment favourable to cells' growth and differentiation and positively modulates full-thickness wounds' healing.

Recent advances in polymer scaffolds for biomedical applications

The review provides insights into current advancements in electrospinning-assisted manufacturing for optimally designing biomedical devices for their prospective applications in tissue engineering, wound healing, drug delivery, sensing, and enzyme immobilization, and others. Further, the evolution of electrospinning-based hybrid biomedical devices using a combined approach of 3 D printing and/or film casting/molding, to design dimensionally stable membranes/micro-nanofibrous assemblies/patches/porous surfaces, etc. is reported. The influence of various electrospinning parameters, polymeric material, testing environment, and other allied factors on the morphological and physico-mechanical properties of electrospun (nano-/micro-fibrous) mats (EMs) and fibrous assemblies have been compiled and critically discussed. The spectrum of operational research and statistical approaches that are now being adopted for efficient optimization of electrospinning process parameters so as to obtain the desired response (physical and structural attributes) has prospectively been looked into. Further, the present review summarizes some current limitations and future perspectives for modeling architecturally novel hybrid 3 D/selectively textured structural assemblies, such as biocompatible, non-toxic, and bioresorbable mats/scaffolds/membranes/patches with apt mechanical stability, as biological substrates for various regenerative and non-regenerative therapeutic devices.

Wound healing properties of flavonoids: A systematic review highlighting the mechanisms of action

BACKGROUND

Flavonoids are a class of compounds with a wide variety of biological functions, being an important source of new products with pharmaceutical potential, including treatment of skin wounds.

PURPOSE

This review aimed to summarize and evaluate the evidence in the literature in respect of the healing properties of flavonoids on skin wounds in animal models.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a systematic review following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement.

METHODS

This was carried out through a specialized search of four databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase. The following keyword combinations were used: "flavonoidal" OR "flavonoid" OR "flavonoidic" OR "flavonoids" AND "wound healing" as well as MeSH terms, Emtree terms and free-text words.

RESULTS

Fifty-five (55) articles met the established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Flavonoids presented effects in respect of the inflammatory process, angiogenesis, re-epithelialization and oxidative stress. They were shown to be able to act on macrophages, fibroblasts and endothelial cells by mediating the release and expression of TGF-β1, VEGF, Ang, Tie, Smad 2 and 3, and IL-10. Moreover, they were able to reduce the release of inflammatory cytokines, NFκB, ROS and the M1 phenotype. Flavonoids acted by positively regulating MMPs 2, 8, 9 and 13, and the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, PI3K/Akt and NO pathways.

CONCLUSION

Flavonoids are useful tools in the development of therapies to treat skin lesions, and our review provides a scientific basis for future basic and translational research.

Dual drug release mechanisms through mesoporous silica nanoparticle/electrospun nanofiber for enhanced anticancer efficiency of curcumin

Electrospun nanofibers (NFs)-based drug delivery approaches are of particular interest as a hopeful implantable nanoplatform for localized cancer therapy and treating tissue defect after resection, allowing the on-site drug delivery with minimal side effect to healthy cells. To maintain therapeutic concentrations of anticancer molecules for a relatively long time through a combination of burst and sustained drug release mechanisms, a hybrid of polycaprolactone and gelatin (PCL/GEL) was used for co-encapsulation of free curcumin (CUR) and CUR-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (CUR@MSNs) via electrospinning, resulting in a novel drug-loaded nanofibrous scaffold, CUR/CUR@MSNs-NFs. The as-prepared MSNs and composite NFs were characterized via TGA, FTIR, FE-SEM, TEM, and BET. In vitro release profile of CUR from CUR/CUR@MSNs-NFs was examined, and the in vitro antitumor efficacy against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was also evaluated through MTT, scratch assay, DAPI staining, and real-time PCR. The results disclosed that the smooth, bead-free, and randomly oriented CUR/CUR@MSNs-NFs displayed a combination of initial rapid discharge and sustained release for CUR, which led to higher cytotoxicity, lower migration as well as a more pronounced effect on apoptosis induction than CUR-NFs and CUR@MSNs-NFs. The present study illustrated that the dual drug release mechanisms through MSN/NF-mediated drug delivery systems might have a highly hopeful application as a localized implantable scaffold for potential postoperative breast cancer therapy.

A review of therapeutic potentials of turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its active constituent, curcumin, on inflammatory disorders, pain, and their related patents

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its constituent, curcumin, have been used for their therapeutic properties for a long time. Most of the medicinal impacts of turmeric and curcumin might be attributed to their anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antioxidant effects. In the present review, the preventive and therapeutic potentials of turmeric and its active constituent, curcumin, on inflammatory disorders and pain as well as patents related to their analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, have been summarized to highlight their value on human health. A literature review was accomplished in Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Google Patent, Patentscope, and US Patent. Several documents and patents disclosed the significance of turmeric and curcumin to apply in several therapeutic, medicinal, and pharmaceutical fields. These phytocompounds could be applied as a supplementary therapy in phytotherapy, inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, dermatitis, and different types of pain including neuropathic pain. However, because of inadequate clinical trials, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the plant. Consistent with the human tendency to the usage of phytocompounds rather than synthetic drugs, particular consideration must be dedicated to bond the worth of turmeric and curcumin from basic sciences to clinical applications.

Nanomaterials applied in wound healing: Mechanisms, limitations and perspectives

Internal and external factors cause various types of wounds on the skin. Infections, nonhealing chronic wounds, and aesthetic and functional recovery all cause challenges for clinicians. The development of nanotechnology in biomedicine has brought many new materials, methods and therapeutic targets for the treatment of wounds, which are believed to have great prospects. In this work, the nanomaterials applied in different stages to promote wound healing and systematically expounded their mechanisms were reviewed. Then, the difficulties and defects of the present research and suggested methods for improvement were pointed out. Moreover, based on the current application status of nanomaterials in wound treatment, some new ideas for subsequent studies were proposed and the feasibility of intelligent healing by real-time monitoring, precision regulation, and signal transmission between electronic signals and human nerve signals in the future were discussed. This review will provide valuable directions and spark new thoughts for researchers.

Physicomechanical performance and encapsulation efficiency of β-cyclodextrin loaded functional electrospun mats based on aliphatic polyesters and their blends

Designing complex-forming biodegradable and biocompatible electrospun mats (EMs) by incorporating β- cyclodextrin (β-CD) into polylactic acid (PLA)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) (70:30 w/w) blend based polyester matrix. The influence of β-CD loading on the morphological, thermal, and microstructural properties was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The studies revealed the presence of characteristic interactions between the polymer matrix and β-CD moieties. Further, the quasi-static mechanical properties of EMs were evaluated using a universal testing machine. An enhancement in modulus and strength was obtained for ∼ 2.5-5 phr of β-CD content and beyond ∼ 5 phr of β-CD content, the mechanical properties of EMs were observed to deteriorate. The contact angle studies indicated a decrease in hydrophobicity of PLA/PCL-based EMs with the increase in β-CD content. The swelling and weight loss studies in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) indicated a subsequent release of β-CD from the EMs. FT-IR and ¹H NMR spectra elucidated the removal of curcumin from ethanol-water solutions and its simultaneous encapsulation in β-CD hydrophobic cavities (released) of fabricated EMs. Thus, the study demonstrates the development of aliphatic polyester-based biodegradable-functional EMs with tunable physico-mechanical properties for biomedical applications, facilitating encapsulation and rapid removal of waste hydrophobic ultrafine molecules from the system.

Encapsulation of bioactive agent (Curcumin, Moringa) in electrospun nanofibers - Some insights into recent research trends

As the epidemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread rapidly, health organizations around the world has made wearing face mask obligatory to prevent the spread of the infections for the wellness of the society. As wearing face masks become a daily routine, the usage of cloth facemasks from textile fabric, is popular among the public. Since antiquity, textiles have been proven to be intertwined with human lives and the integrant of these crucial materials are fibers. Particularly, nanofiber fabrics manufactured by electrospinning have attracted attention, owing to the better filtration efficiency and breathability. In addition, the electrospinning process provide opportunities to fine tuning of the surface functionality through polymer chemistry and an encapsulation of bioactive agents in single step process. This review opens up a new horizon in possible textile applications especially, an active layer of bioactive agent (Curcumin and Moringa) loaded nanofibrous fabrics-based facemasks for day to day life.

Honey-incorporated nanofibre reduces replicative senescence of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCDMSC) are attractive candidates for cell-based regenerative medicine. However, they are susceptible to replicative senescence during repetitive passaging for in-vitro expansion and induced senescence in an oxidative, inflammatory microenvironment in vivo. Aim of this study is to investigate if honey-incorporated matrices can be employed to reduce senescence of UCDMSC. Matrices were prepared by electrospinning solutions of honey with poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA:honey matrices exhibited free radical scavenging activity. Culture of UCDMSC on PVA:honey matrices showed improvement in cell proliferation compared to pure PVA nanofibres. Expression of vimentin indicated that mesenchymal phenotype is preserved after culturing on these matrices. Further, UCDMSC were serially subcultured and cells of two passages (P2 and P6) were evaluated for reactive oxygen species (ROS) load and senescence parameters. P6 cells showed a higher ROS load and β-galactosidase (β-gal) positive senescent cells compared to P2. However, culturing on PVA:honey substrates significantly reduced both ROS and β-gal markers compared to cells on PVA substrates. Honey contains several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components, which can reduce the ROS-related senescence. Thus, it is concluded that honey containing nanofibres can be effective substrates for stem cell-based wound healing and regenerative medicine.

Curcumin nanoparticles incorporated in PVA/collagen composite films promote wound healing

Skin repair remains a common problem in plastic surgery. Wound dressing plays an important role in promoting local skin healing and has been widely studied. This study aimed to manufacture a composite film (CPCF) containing curcumin nanoparticles, collagen, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to effectively promote the healing of skin wounds. Sustained drug release from the composite film provides long-term protection and treatment for skin wounds. Both antibacterial property and good histocompatibility of the CPCF were examined by analyzing antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity to validate its applicability for wound management. Moreover, in vivo studies proved that the CPCF had a rapid healing rate of 98.03%±0.79% and mature epithelialization on day 15 after surgery. Obvious hair follicles and earlier re-epithelialization was also noticed in the CPCF group using H&E staining. The result of Masson’s trichrome staining confirmed that CPCF could promote the formation of collagen fibers. In summary, CPCF may be promising as a wound dressing agent in wound management owing to its rapid wound-healing effects.

Polymer-Based Materials Loaded with Curcumin for Wound Healing Applications

Some of the currently used wound dressings have interesting features such as excellent porosity, good water-absorbing capacity, moderate water vapor transmission rate, high drug loading efficiency, and good capability to provide a moist environment, but they are limited in terms of antimicrobial properties. Their inability to protect the wound from microbial invasion results in wound exposure to microbial infections, resulting in a delayed wound healing process. Furthermore, some wound dressings are loaded with synthetic antibiotics that can cause adverse side effects on the patients. Natural-based compounds exhibit unique features such as good biocompatibility, reduced toxicity, etc. Curcumin, one such natural-based compound, has demonstrated several biological activities such as anticancer, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Its good antibacterial and antioxidant activity make it beneficial for the treatment of wounds. Several researchers have developed different types of polymer-based wound dressings which were loaded with curcumin. These wound dressings displayed excellent features such as good biocompatibility, induction of skin regeneration, accelerated wound healing processes and excellent antioxidant and antibacterial activity. This review will be focused on the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic outcomes of wound dressings loaded with curcumin.

Obstacles against the Marketing of Curcumin as a Drug

Among the extensive public and scientific interest in the use of phytochemicals to prevent or treat human diseases in recent years, natural compounds have been highly investigated to elucidate their therapeutic effect on chronic human diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disease. Curcumin, an active principle of the perennial herb Curcuma longa, has attracted an increasing research interest over the last half-century due to its diversity of molecular targets, including transcription factors, enzymes, protein kinases, growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, receptors, and it's interesting pharmacological activities. Despite that, the clinical effectiveness of the native curcumin is weak, owing to its low bioavailability and rapid metabolism. Preclinical data obtained from animal models and phase I clinical studies done in human volunteers confirmed a small amount of intestinal absorption, hepatic first pass effect, and some degree of intestinal metabolism, might explain its poor systemic availability when it is given via the oral route. During the last decade, researchers have attempted with new pharmaceutical methods such as nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, solid dispersions, emulsions, and microspheres to improve the bioavailability of curcumin. As a result, a significant number of bioavailable curcumin-based formulations were introduced with a varying range of enhanced bioavailability. This manuscript critically reviews the available scientific evidence on the basic and clinical effects and molecular targets of curcumin. We also discuss its pharmacokinetic and problems for marketing curcumin as a drug.

Wound dressings functionalized with silver nanoparticles: promises and pitfalls

Infections are the main reason why most people die from burns and diabetic wounds. The clinical challenge for treating wound infections through traditional antibiotics has been growing steadily and has now reached a critical status requiring a paradigm shift for improved chronic wound care. The US Centers for Disease Control have predicted more deaths from antimicrobial-resistant bacteria than from all types of cancers combined by 2050. Thus, the development of new wound dressing materials that do not rely on antibiotics is of paramount importance. Currently, incorporating nanoparticles into scaffolds represents a new concept of 'nanoparticle dressing' which has gained considerable attention for wound healing. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have been categorized as metal-based nanoparticles and are intriguing materials for wound healing because of their excellent antimicrobial properties. Ag-NPs embedded in wound dressing polymers promote wound healing and control microorganism growth. However, there have been several recent disadvantages of using Ag-NPs to fight infections, such as bacterial resistance. This review highlights the therapeutic approaches of using wound dressings functionalized with Ag-NPs and their potential role in revolutionizing wound healing. Moreover, the physiology of the skin and wounds is discussed to place the use of Ag-NPs in wound care into perspective.

Reduced Graphene Oxide Incorporated GelMA Hydrogel Promotes Angiogenesis For Wound Healing Applications

PURPOSE

Non-healing or slow healing chronic wounds are among serious complications of diabetes that eventually result in amputation of limbs and increased morbidities and mortalities. Chronic diabetic wounds show reduced blood vessel formation (lack of angiogenesis), inadequate cell proliferation and poor cell migration near wounds. In this paper, we report the development of a hydrogel-based novel wound dressing material loaded with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to promote cell proliferation, cell migration and angiogenesis for wound healing applications.

METHODS

Gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA) based hydrogels loaded with different concentrations of rGO were fabricated by UV crosslinking. Morphological and physical characterizations (porosity, degradation, and swelling) of rGO incorporated GelMA hydrogel was performed. In vitro cell proliferation, cell viability and cell migration potential of the hydrogels were analyzed by MTT assay, live/dead staining, and wound healing scratch assay respectively. Finally, in vivo chicken embryo angiogenesis (CEO) testing was performed to evaluate the angiogenic potential of the prepared hydrogel.

RESULTS

The experimental results showed that the developed hydrogel possessed enough porosity and exudate-absorbing capacity. The biocompatibility of prepared hydrogel on three different cell lines (3T3 fibroblasts, EA.hy926 endothelial cells, and HaCaT keratinocytes) was confirmed by in vitro cell culture studies (live/dead assay). The GelMA hydrogel containing 0.002% w/w rGO considerably increased the proliferation and migration of cells as evident from MTT assay and wound healing scratch assay. Furthermore, rGO impregnated GelMA hydrogel significantly enhanced the angiogenesis in the chick embryo model.

CONCLUSION

The positive effect of 0.002% w/w rGO impregnated GelMA hydrogels on angiogenesis, cell migration and cell proliferation suggests that these formulations could be used as a functional wound healing material for the healing of chronic wounds.

Potential of Curcumin in Skin Disorders

Curcumin is a compound isolated from turmeric, a plant known for its medicinal use. Recently, there is a growing interest in the medical community in identifying novel, low-cost, safe molecules that may be used in the treatment of inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that curcumin may represent an effective agent in the treatment of several skin conditions. We examined the most relevant in vitro and in vivo studies published to date regarding the use of curcumin in inflammatory, neoplastic, and infectious skin diseases, providing information on its bioavailability and safety profile. Moreover, we performed a computational analysis about curcumin's interaction towards the major enzymatic targets identified in the literature. Our results suggest that curcumin may represent a low-cost, well-tolerated, effective agent in the treatment of skin diseases. However, bypass of limitations of its in vivo use (low oral bioavailability, metabolism) is essential in order to conduct larger clinical trials that could confirm these observations. The possible use of curcumin in combination with traditional drugs and the formulations of novel delivery systems represent a very promising field for future applicative research.