Characterization and in vivo evaluation of silk hydrogel with enhancement of dextrin, rhEGF, and alginate beads for diabetic Wistar Albino wounded rats

Silk is a natural bio material that is used as a wound-healing material for a long period. Favorable properties like natural slow biodegradation, superior mechanical properties, and biocompatibility make it an ideal material for the wound-healing process. It was observed that diabetic wounds require increased protection and treatment than the normal wounds. Therefore, current research is focused on preparation of silk-based hydrogels for diabetic wound healing with the combination of chitosan-alginate beads, dextrin, and recombinant human epidermal growth factor. The prepared hydrogel was tested and established for its morphology, water uptake ability, and porosity that are the special properties required for an ideal wound-dressing material. In extrapolating these findings, the prepared silk-based hydrogel was applied and tested for its wound-healing effect on diabetic-induced rats that is a widely used in vivo method of wound healing. Full-thickness wounds were created in the dorsal of rat's skin. Wounded rats were treated topically with silk fibroin hydrogel immediately after the injury. The wound-healing rate was observed through tissue deposition and wound closure for over a 21-days period. The results established that integrated silk-based hydrogel promotes the healing process through controlled release of drug and recovery of the deep wounds of diabetic-induced male Wistar Albino rats was commendable. Therefore, the use of silk fibroin-based hydrogel may be extended to the clinical setting and act as an effective promoter for wound healing in human beings with diabetics.