Recent Advances in Honey-Based Nanoparticles for Wound Dressing: A Review

Abstract

Wounds with impaired healing, including delayed acute injuries and chronic injuries, generally fail to progress through normal healing stages. A deeper understanding of the biochemical processes involved in chronic wound cures is necessary to correct the microenvironmental imbalances in the wound treatment designs of products. The therapeutic benefits of honey, particularly its antimicrobial activity, make it a viable option for wound treatment in a variety of situations. Integration with nanotechnology has opened up new possibilities not only for wound healing but also for other medicinal applications. In this review, recent advances in honey-based nanoparticles for wound healing are discussed. This also covers the mechanism of the action of nanoparticles in the wound healing process and perspectives on the challenges and future trends of using honey-based nanoparticles. The underlying mechanisms of wound healing using honey are believed to be attributed to hydrogen peroxide, high osmolality, acidity, non-peroxide components, and phenols. Therefore, incorporating honey into various wound dressings has become a major trend due to the increasing demand for combination dressings in the global wound dressing market because these dressings contain two or more types of chemical and physical properties to ensure optimal functionality. At the same time, their multiple features (low cost, biocompatibility, and swelling index) and diverse fabrication methods (electrospun fibres, hydrogels, etc.) make them a popular choice among researchers.

Role of Honey as a Bifunctional Reducing and Capping/Stabilizing Agent: Application for Silver and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

“…Typically, honey functions as both a reducing agent and a capping/stabilizing agent in the NP synthesis process, primarily serving as a precursor [ 47 ]. The preparation of NPs using honey follows a general mechanism that involves the following steps [ 48 ]: Initially, the metal salt solution undergoes dissociation to produce positively charged metal ions (Me n+ ). Then, these metal ions react with the negatively charged hydroxyl (OH) groups of fructose and glucose present in the honey to form the complex [Me(honey)] n+ .…”

Macro, Micro, and Nano-Inspired Bioactive Polymeric Biomaterials in Therapeutic, and Regenerative Orofacial Applications

“… 140 PET nano-fibers made with honey have shown astonishing outcomes as a functional wound dressing, with enhanced ability of the mats to absorb water, which is essential for wound healing. 141 …”

Polymer-Based Hydrogel Loaded with Honey in Drug Delivery System for Wound Healing Applications

“…Additionally, honey can sterilize wound infection, stimulate the growth of tissues and re-epithelization, and reduce scar formation. These factors contribute to the four phases of wound healing, as stated above [ 66 ]. Honey demonstrates diverse effects in each stage of the wound-healing process [ 67 ].…”