Synthesis and In Vitro/Ex Vivo Characterizations of Ceftriazone-Loaded Sodium Alginate/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Clay Reinforced Nanocomposites: Possible Applications in Wound Healing

Chitosan-PVA-PVP/nano-clay composite: a promising tool for controlled drug delivery

In this study, chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) were used to create ternary blends reinforced with organically modified montmorillonite nanoclay. Tramadol was used as a model drug to assess the efficacy of these ternary blends as drug delivery systems. The current work demonstrated the highly controlled release of tramadol via transdermal administration. The results of the FTIR investigation revealed the compatibility of the blending components. Among non-drug-loaded formulations, MC6 is the most stable with a 17.6% weight residue at 505 °C and MC11 is the most stable of all the drug-loaded and non-drug-loaded formulations with a weight residue of 22.0% at 505 °C. The XRD studies of the prepared formulations showed crystalline behavior. However, the SEM analysis revealed that no gaps or mixing components were uniformly dispersed in the nanocomposites. Pharmaceutical tests, such as swelling, dissolution, and permeation rates, revealed a strong influence of the PVA concentration. There was a uniform distribution of drug throughout the films with maximum encapsulation efficiency found for MC7 (96.09 ± 0.31) and minimum encapsulation efficiency for MC11 (90.56 ± 0.34)%. Compared to the sodium acetate (pH 4.5) and potassium phosphate buffers (pH 6.8) the swelling and erosion were higher in hydrochloric acid buffer (pH 1.2). An increase in PVA concentration (or decrease in PVP concentration) increases the swelling, dissolution, and permeation rates. In addition, erosion increased with increasing PVP concentration. Furthermore, the nanoclay-reinforced composite showed high permeation. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the produced nanocomposite could be used as an efficient transdermal drug delivery system.

Physical characterization, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial activity of polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate blend doped with TiO2 nanoparticles for wound dressing applications

The ability of wound dressing materials to tackle skin pathogens colonization that is associated with open wound infections is limited. Recently, green-synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles has received a lot of attention to overcome this limitation. However, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) exhibit exceptional antibacterial properties. In this work, several concentrations (0, 1, 3, and 5 wt.%) of TiO2 NPs prepared using Aloe vera leaf extract were added to a blend of polyvinyl alcohol and sodium alginate (PVA:SA). This nanocomposite was designed to enhance the healing process of wounds. The interaction between the PVA:SA composite and the TiO2 NPs was confirmed by FTIR. The thermal behavior of the nanocomposite films was investigated using DSC and TGA. The experimental results indicate that the glass transition temperatures of the nanocomposites increased by increasing the added amount of TiO2 NPs to be 53.7 °C (1 wt.%), 55.8 °C (3 wt.%), and 60.6 °C (5 wt.%), which were consistently lower than the glass transition temperature of the matrix material (69.6 °C). The Dynamic Mechanical Analysis was examined. The nanocomposite doped with 5 wt.% of TiO2 NPs detected a high storage modulus (21.6 × 108). Based on swelling and degradation studies, the prepared PVA:SA:TiO2 nanocomposite films have an excellent swelling rate, and the inclusion of TiO2 NPs increases the stability of the polymeric matrix. The PVA:SA:TiO2 nanocomposite films exhibited a superior antibacterial efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, compared to their effectiveness against Gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli. Moreover, the nanocomposite films were biocompatible with Human Skin Fibroblast. Therefore, the developed PVA:SA:TiO2 nanocomposite films suit wound dressing applications.

Nanoclay Reinforced Ternary Blends Based on Biodegradable Polymers for Drug Delivery Application

In this study, ternary blends based on chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyethylene glycol reinforced with organically modified montmorillonite (nanoclay) clay were synthesized. These ternary blends were evaluated as transdermal drug delivery patches using tramadol as a model drug. The FTIR study showed interaction among important functional groups and compatibility among the mixing components. Among drug-loaded formulations, composite MA12 shows maximum thermal stability with 27.9% weight residue at 540°C. The prepared formulations exhibited crystalline nature as observed by XRD analysis. SEM studies revealed that there are no gaps and cracks in prepared films and nanoclay was found dispersed in the formulations. The swelling ratio was higher in pH 1.2 as compared to pH 4.5 and pH 6.8 buffers, and there was an increase in swelling with an increase in PVA concentration. Moreover, the drug release test performed in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 showed that tramadol release from nanocomposite films increases with an increase in PEG concentration. Permeation studies indicated that the rate of permeation increased with a decrease in PVA concentration. The permeation rate was found to be higher for samples without nanoclay. The overall results suggest nanocomposite films as excellent candidates for transdermal drug delivery application.

Effectiveness of Copper Nanoparticles in Wound Healing Process Using In Vivo and In Vitro Studies: A Systematic Review

Chronic wounds are defined as wounds that do not heal in an orderly and timely manner through the various stages of the healing process. Copper nanoparticles are essential in dressings for wound healing because they promote angiogenesis and skin regeneration, which hasten the healing process. This systematic investigation sought to explain how copper nanoparticles affect chronic wound healing in vivo and in vitro. We realized a systematic review of original articles studying the effectiveness of copper nanoparticles in the healing process of chronic wounds. The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database. Several databases were searched between 2012 and January 2022 for English-language papers using MeSH terms and text related to chronic wounds, copper nanoparticles, and wound healing. Quality was evaluated using National Institute for Health and Care Excellence methodology and PRISMA guidelines. We looked at a total of 12 primary studies. Quantitative data were gathered and presented in all studies. Our results suggest that copper nanoparticles could have an excellent healing property, facilitating the liberation of growth factors that help the anti-inflammatory process of the wound and significantly improving antibacterial and antioxidant activities. In addition, copper presents a higher biocompatibility than other metallic ions, promoting regeneration and increasing skin quality.

Novel Nanoconjugate of Apamin and Ceftriaxone for Management of Diabetic Wounds

Diabetic hyperglycemia delays wound healing, leading to serious consequences. Topical antibiotics can reduce the risk of a wound infection during healing; nevertheless, the microbial fight against antibiotics brings about public health challenges. Anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) belong to a novel class of drug that is used to prevent and treat systemic and topical infections. The aim of the current work was to achieve better wound healing in diabetic rats by conjugating the anti-microbial peptide “apamin” (APA) with the broad-spectrum antibiotic “ceftriaxone” (CTX) to form a nanocomplex. The CTX–APA nanoconjugate formulation was optimized using a Box–Behnken design. The optimized CTX–APA nanoconjugate formulation was evaluated for its size and zeta potential, and was then examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The CTX–APA nanoconjugate was loaded onto a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (2% w/v)-based hydrogel. It was observed that the application of the CTX–APA nanocomplex on the wounded skin of diabetic rats accelerated the regeneration of the epithelium, granulation tissue formation, epidermal proliferation, and keratinization. The nanocomplex was capable of significantly reducing the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), while increasing the expression of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) as well as the angiogenic markers: hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Conclusively, the application of an ion-paired CTX–APA nanocomplex enhances wound healing in diabetic rats.