Biological macromolecules-based nanoformulation in improving wound healing and bacterial biofilm-associated infection: A review

A chronic wound is a serious complication associated with diabetes mellitus and is difficult to heal due to high glucose levels, oxidative stress, and biofilm-associated microbial infection. The structural complexity of microbial biofilm makes it impossible for antibiotics to penetrate the matrix, hence conventional antibiotic therapies became ineffective in clinical settings. This demonstrates an urgent need to find safer alternatives to reduce the prevalence of chronic wound infection associated with microbial biofilm. A novel approach to address these concerns is to inhibit biofilm formation using biological-macromolecule based nano-delivery system. Higher drug loading efficiency, sustained drug release, enhanced drug stability, and improved bioavailability are advantages of employing nano-drug delivery systems to prevent microbial colonization and biofilm formation in chronic wounds. This review covers the pathogenesis, microbial biofilm formation, and immune response to chronic wounds. Furthermore, we also focus on macromolecule-based nanoparticles as wound healing therapies to reduce the increased mortality associated with chronic wound infections.

Automated summary

Chronic wounds in diabetes mellitus patients are difficult to heal due to high glucose levels, oxidative stress, and biofilm-associated microbial infection. Conventional antibiotic therapies are ineffective in clinical settings as antibiotics cannot penetrate the microbial biofilm matrix. Therefore, finding safer alternatives to reduce chronic wound infection is urgently needed. Using biological-macromolecule based nano-delivery systems to inhibit biofilm formation offers advantages such as higher drug loading efficiency, sustained drug release, enhanced drug stability, and improved bioavailability. This review discusses the pathogenesis, microbial biofilm formation, and immune response of chronic wounds, as well as the potential of macromolecule-based nanoparticles as wound healing therapies to reduce mortality associated with chronic wound infections.