No abstract

Burn wound healing is a complex multifactorial process that relies on coordinated signaling molecules to succeed. Curcumin is believed to be a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent; therefore, it can prevent the prolonged presence of oxygen free radicals which is a significant factor causing inhabitation of optimum healing process. This study describes an extension of study about the biofunctional nanocomposite hydrogel platform that was prepared by using curcumin and an amphiphilic chitosan-g-pluronic copolymer specialized in burn wound healing application. This formular (nCur-CP, nanocomposite hydrogel) was a free-flowing sol at ambient temperature and instantly converted into a nonflowing gel at body temperature. In addition, the storage study determined the great stability level of nCur-CP in long time using UV-Vis and DLS. Morphology and distribution of nCur in its nanocomposite hydrogels were observed by SEM and TEM, respectively. In vitro studies suggested that nCur-CP exhibited well fibroblast proliferation and ability in antimicrobacteria. Furthermore, second- and third-degree burn wound models were employed to evaluate the in vivo wound healing activity of the nCur-CP. In the second-degree wound model, the nanocomposite hydrogel group showed a higher regenerated collagen density and thicker epidermis layer formation. In third degree, the nCur-CP group also exhibited enhancement of wound closure. Besides, in both models, the nanocomposite material-treated groups showed higher collagen content, better granulation, and higher wound maturity. Histopathologic examination also implied that the nanocomposite hydrogel based on nanocurcumin and chitosan could enhance burn wound repair. In conclusion, the biocompatible and injectable nanocomposite scaffold might have great potential to apply for wound healing.

Abstract:In this study, in order to enhance the aqueous solubility and to overcome the limitation of curcumin (Cur) in free form, as well as to develop a carrier for transdermal delivery of hydrophobic pharmaceutical agents such as Cur, a sonicated synthetic process of nanocurcumin (nCur) in thermally responsive Chitosang-Pluronic (CP) copolymer is disclosed herein. The use of CP copolymer solution as a dispersant medium is a very attractive method to avoid the use of toxic organic solvent and non-biocompatible surfactant. The obtained Cur nanoparticles had a fairly narrow distribution of 8-23 nm. nCur-dispersed CP solution showed good stability with no change in color characteristic and no phase separation after 1 month of storage. Rheological characterization of CP hydrogels had indicated sol-gel transition at the same temperature (35°C). Interestingly, the rate of Cur release for this system can be conveniently modulated as transdermal drug delivery.