Design and Fabrication of a Keratin/Tragacanth-Based Nanogel Containing Propolis Extract for Wound Healing
Subject Areas : نانومواد و پلیمرهای هوشمندNiloofar Eslahi 1 * , Zahra Heydari 2 , Adeleh Gholipour Kanani 3
1 - Department of Textile Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of Chemistry, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Textile Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: Keratin, Tragacanth gum, Nanogel, Propolis,
Abstract :
The main objective of this research is to improve topical drug delivery using nanohydrogels. Keratin is the main protein found in hair, nails, and bird feathers. Due to its inherent properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical strength, and natural abundance, keratin-containing materials are considered a rich protein source. Tragacanth gum also exhibits wound healing and antibacterial properties, making it useful in medical applications. In this study, keratin was extracted from chicken feathers via reductive hydrolysis. Subsequently, nanohydrogel particles were synthesized using chemical crosslinking of natural keratin and tragacanth. Propolis extract, a herbal antimicrobial agent, was then added to the hydrogel to evaluate its release rate. SEM analysis of the optimized keratin/tragacanth nanoparticles revealed a near-spherical morphology with an average diameter of 191 ± 15 nm. After incorporation of propolis extract, the average size of particles increased to 297 ± 20 nm, resulting in a more uniform nanogel. Drug release test showed that incorporating 10% (w/w) propolis into the nanogel led to 50% release over 72 hours. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of propolis-loaded nanogels was reported to reach up to 98%, indicating their potential in wound healing applications.
[1] N. Elhami, M. Pazhang, Y. Beygi-Khosrowshahi, and A. Dehghani, “Development of nanocomposites based on chitosan/reduced graphene oxide for wound healing application,” Int. J. Biol. Macromol., vol. 258, p. 128832, 2024.
[2] G. A. Căiţă, C. F. Lascu, F. D. Bodog, C. L. Buhaş, F. Voiţă-Mekeres, and G. F. Voiţă, “Surgical scar management-an evaluation of surgical techniques,” Med. Pharm. Rep., vol. 97, no. 2, p. 149, 2024.
[3] D. K. Patel, E. Jung, S. Priya, S. Y. Won, and S. S. Han, “Recent advances in biopolymer-based hydrogels and their potential biomedical applications,” Carbohydr. Polym., vol. 323, p. 121408, 2024.
[4] Q. Y. Duan, Y. X. Zhu, H. R. Jia, S. H. Wang, and F. G. Wu, “Nanogels: Synthesis, properties, and recent biomedical applications,” Prog. Mater. Sci., p. 101167, 2023.
[5] T. C. Ezike et al., “Advances in drug delivery systems, challenges and future directions,” Heliyon, vol. 9, no. 6, 2023.
[6] R. A. Mendake, P. R. Hatwar, R. L. Bakal, and S. V. Amalkar, “Review on Nanogel as a Novel Platform for Smart Drug Delivery System,” J. Drug Deliv. Ther., vol. 14, no. 8, 2024.
[7] M. E. Taghavizadeh Yazdi et al., “Gum tragacanth (GT): a versatile biocompatible material beyond borders,” Molecules, vol. 26, no. 6, p. 1510, 2021.
[8] G. Abdi et al., “Tragacanth gum-based hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications,” Front. Mater., vol. 11, p. 1296399, 2024.
[9] P. Foroughi and N. Koupaei, “Physically crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/gum tragacanth hydrogels loaded with vitamin E for wound healing applications,” J. Vinyl Addit. Technol., vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 268–282, 2023.
[10] D. Pathania et al., “Novel nanohydrogel based on itaconic acid grafted tragacanth gum for controlled release of ampicillin,” Carbohydr. Polym., vol. 196, pp. 262–271, 2018.
[11] N. Mansouri Shirazi, N. Eslahi, and A. Gholipour-Kanani, “Production and characterization of keratin/tragacanth gum nanohydrogels for drug delivery in medical textiles,” Front. Mater., vol. 8, p. 720385, 2021.
[12] J. Wang et al., “Feather keratin hydrogel for wound repair: preparation, healing effect and biocompatibility evaluation,” Colloids Surf. B Biointerfaces, vol. 149, pp. 341–350, 2017.
[13] M. Zhai, Y. Xu, B. Zhou, and W. Jing, “Keratin-chitosan/n-ZnO nanocomposite hydrogel for antimicrobial treatment of burn wound healing: Characterization and biomedical application,” J. Photochem. Photobiol. B, vol. 180, pp. 253–258, 2018.
[14] M. El-Sakhawy, A. Salama, and H. A. S. Tohamy, “Applications of propolis-based materials in wound healing,” Arch. Dermatol. Res., vol. 316, no. 1, p. 61, 2023.
[15] S. Ghayempour, M. Montazer, and M. M. Rad, “Encapsulation of Aloe Vera extract into natural Tragacanth Gum as a novel green wound healing product,” Int. J. Biol. Macromol., vol. 93, pp. 344–349, 2016.
[16] N. Chirani et al., “History and applications of hydrogels,” J. Biomed. Sci., vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 1–23, 2015.
[17] L. D. A. S. D. Toledo et al., “Pharmaceutical films made from the waste material from the preparation of propolis extracts: development and characterization,” Braz. J. Pharm. Sci., vol. 51, no. 4, pp. 847–859, 2015.