Background: In this study, a hydrogel comprising poly (vinyl alcohol)/pectin (PVA/PET) was prepared by the addition of Melia azedarach extract for epithelial restoration. M. azedarach extract (MAE) contains volatile organic plant-derived compounds with antimicrobial properties. MAE has a variety of physiological properties, including antimicrobial, insecticidal, and anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to investigate whether MAE-loaded PVA/PET hydrogels have protective effects against burn wound healing.
Methods and findings: To mix M. azedarach with the gel, nanoparticles containing M. azedarach were prepared using chitosan/maltodextrin as the wall material. A PVA/PET hydrogel containing M. azedarach was developed and its applicability as a wound dressing was evaluated. In the in vitro scratch assay, MAE treatment showed a scratch recovery-promoting effect comparable to that of the positive control TGF-β1. The MAE-PVA/PET hydrogel was found to be non-toxic, and the antibacterial activity of the hydrogel was excellent against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, as the formulated hydrogel demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity, its wound-healing efficacy was investigated in vivo using a rat model.
Conclusion: MAE was found to be effective against burn wounds and to have antimicrobial activity in vitro and in vivo.