Chitosan-poloxamer-based thermosensitive hydrogels containing zinc gluconate/recombinant human epidermal growth factor benefit for antibacterial and wound healing

Abstract

Chitosan/poloxamer-based thermosensitive hydrogels containing zinc gluconate/recombinant human epidermal growth factor (ZnG/rhEGF@Chit/Polo) were developed as a convenient, safe and effective dressing for skin wound treatment. Their fabrication procedure and characterization were reported, and their morphology was examined by a scanning electron microscope. Antibacterial and biofilms activities were evaluated by in vitro tests to reveal the inhibitory effects and scavenging activity on the biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ZnG/rhEGF@Chit/Polo was also investigated as a potential therapeutic agent for wound healing therapy. In vivo wound healing studies on rats for 21 days proves that ZnG/rhEGF@Chit/Polo supplements the requisite Zn²⁺ and rhEGF for wound healing to promote the vascular remodeling and collagen deposition, facilitate fibrogenesis, and reduce the level of interleukin 6 for wound basement repair, and thus is a good wound therapy.

Keywords: Acetic acid (PubChem CID: 176); Agar (PubChem CID: 71571511); Ammonium oxalate (PubChem CID: 14213); Antibacterial; Chitosan; Chitosan (PubChem CID: 71853); Crystal violet (PubChem CID: 11057); Epidermal growth factor; Evans blue (PubChem CID: 9409); PBS (PubChem CID: 24978514); Poloxamer (PubChem CID: 24751); Sodium chloride (PubChem CID: 5234); Sodium hydroxide (PubChem CID: 14798); Thermosensitive hydrogel; Wound healing; Zinc gluconate; Zinc gluconate (PubChem CID: 443445); rhEGF (PubChem CID: 56841751).