Recent advances in honey-based hydrogels for wound healing applications: Towards natural therapeutics

From old times until nowadays, honey was applied to treat wounds due to its antibacterial and wound healing features. Honey as a carbohydrate-rich natural component could be applied directly in a clinical setting or incorporated into tissue-engineered platforms. The exploration of the antibiotic agent dramatically diminished its clinical application. However, there has been an increased requirement for alternative treatment approaches owing to the expansion in antibiotic resistance. Also, the physical features of honey make it hard to directly utilize it in an affected area. These limitations could be resolved by incorporating honey in a hydrogel formulation. Thanks to the anti-inflammatory capability of honey, its incorporation into hydrogels reduced the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, attributing beneficial healing. Besides, in-vitro and in-vivo studies revealed that their administration significantly improved angiogenesis, reepithelialization, and granulation tissue formation. In this review, the overall antibacterial properties of honey, its current development in the design of honey-based hydrogels for wound healing (i.e., burns and diabetic ulcer healing), and the potential of honeybased tissue-engineered products will be comprehensively discussed.

Automated summary

Honey has traditionally been used for wound treatment due to its antibacterial properties, and incorporation into hydrogels has been shown to overcome limitations in direct application. Studies have demonstrated that honey in hydrogels can reduce inflammation and improve healing processes such as angiogenesis and tissue formation.