In vivo wound healing efficiency of curcumin-incorporated pectin-chitosan biodegradable films

Drug-loaded biopolymeric films have been garnering the attention of wound care markets worldwide due to their enormous capacity to be customized and biodegradable features. In this context, this work presents the fabrication of pectin (PT)-chitosan (CS) blended films loaded with the proven transdermal drug, namely, curcumin. The thermal stability, mechanical strength, and water vapor barrier ability of the PT film were enhanced with the addition of CS. The addition of curcumin (CC) further improved these characteristics in the films. Among the prepared films, PC4/CC1.5 exhibited optimal thermal and mechanical properties as well as antibacterial activity against both the Gram-positive and negative bacteria; hence, it was chosen to be conducive for wound dressing applications. All the films were biodegraded in 30 days. In vivo studies with albino rats demonstrated the superior wound dressing ability of the PC4/CC1.5 film in completely healing the wound in 12 days. Histopathology studies indicated well-organized collagen deposition and formation of the thin epidermal layer at the wound site healed by the PC4/CC1.5 film and hence, endorsed the effectiveness of the curcumin-loaded film as a wound dressing material with the potential to be explored for further clinical studies.

Automated summary

Drug-loaded biopolymeric films with pectin-chitosan blends showed enhanced thermal stability, mechanical strength, and antibacterial properties. Among the prepared films, PC4/CC1.5 demonstrated optimal performance and was effective in wound dressing applications with superior wound healing ability in in vivo studies. The curcumin-loaded film holds great potential for further clinical studies.