Topical delivery of growth factors and metal/metal oxide nanoparticles to infected wounds by polymeric nanoparticles: an overview

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Infected chronic wounds particularly diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can result from stable colonization of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungi at the wound sites. In this context, the rapid healing of infected wounds has been the main goal in recent investigations. This issue can be solved by improving wound-healing phases including hemostasis, inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling/maturation, and removal of bacteria and fungi. The applications of growth factors (GFs) and metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (MNPs/MONPs) are two choices for these targets. However, the lack of sustainable release of these agents is an important problem for appropriate wound healing.

Area covered

The present review is focused on recent advances in delivery systems composed of growth factor and MNPs/MONPs for rapid wound healing.

Expert opinion

Synthetic and natural polymeric micro- and nanocarriers including polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and chitosan play a vital role in the healing of infected chronic wounds. Using various derivatives of chitosan as pH-responsive polymer with basic and acidic groups can be the best option to prepare controllable and sequential GF release. However, it warrants further extensive research to solve wound-healing problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Infected wounds
• growth factors
• antibiotic-resistant
• metal/metal oxide nanoparticles
• polymeric micro- and nanocarriers

Article highlights

• In the case of infected chronic wounds, removal of pathogens in biofilm structure by metal nanoparticles/metal oxide NPs is superior to the administration of growth factors.

• Micro/nanocarriers with core-shell structure such as multi-layer polymeric NPs may be used to encapsulate antibacterial agents and growth factors in shell and core parts, respectively.

• Difference of pH in intact skin with acidic pH (4-6) and injured skin with neutral pH (7.4-7.6) is basis to synthesize pH-responsive drug delivery systems.

• Using various derivatives of chitosan as pH-responsive polymer with basic and acidic groups can be the best option to prepare controllable and sequential release.

• Further extensive studies are required to heal infected chronic wounds.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.