Curcumin-Laden Crosslinked Chitosan–PVA Films: The Synergistic Impact of Genipin and Curcumin on Accelerating Wound Closure

Abstract

Wound dressings play a critical role in healing by maintaining a moist environment and protecting against infection. Here, we fabricate crosslinked films of chitosan–polyvinyl alcohol–genipin–curcumin to investigate the synergistic wound-healing effect of genipin and curcumin. The chemical bonding, morphology, strength, water retention capacity, curcumin release characteristics, and cytotoxicity of the films were investigated. The results showed a 192% increase in tensile strength and good water retention, and the infrared analysis and scanning electron microscopy micrographs confirmed genipin crosslinking and the presence of curcumin in the films, whose morphology was uniform and continuous. The curcumin-loaded films were found to have insignificant cytotoxicity against 3T3 fibroblast cells, proving their biocompatibility. The curcumin dissolution tests determined the amount of curcumin released from the films with time, and assessed the release characteristics to be sustained at all pH levels. In vivo trials were carried out on rodents to evaluate the wound-healing effects of the films, and the results showed that the curcumin-incorporated crosslinked films accelerated wound healing compared to the uncrosslinked and curcumin-absent films, confirming their effectiveness for wound healing.