%0 Journal Article
%T Curcumin-Loaded Chitosan/Gelatin Composite Sponge for Wound Healing Application
%A Van Cuong Nguyen
%A Van Boi Nguyen
%A Ming-Fa Hsieh
%J International Journal of Polymer Science
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/106570
%X Three composite sponges were made with 10% of curcumin and by using polymers, namely, chitosan and gelatin with various ratios. The chemical structure and morphology were evaluated by FTIR and SEM. These sponges were evaluated for water absorption capacity, antibacterial activity, in vitro drug release, and in vivo wound healing studies by excision wound model using rabbits. The in vivo study presented a greater wound closure in wounds treated with curcumin-composite sponge than those with composite sponge without curcumin and untreated group. These obtained results showed that combination of curcumin, chitosan and gelatin could improve the wound healing activity in comparison to chitosan, and gelatin without curcumin. 1. Introduction Medicines derived from plants play an important role in the healthcare of many cultures, both ancient and modern. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane, a polyphenol) is an active agent of the perennial herb Curcuma longa (commonly known as turmeric). Curcumin is a naturally occurring polyphenolic phytoconstituent which presents anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hyperlipidemic, antibacterial, wound healing, and hepatoprotective activities [1, 2]. The therapeutic efficacy of curcumin is limited due to its poor aqueous solubility and extensive first pass metabolism [3¨C5]. Topical formulation of curcumin (curcumin incorporated collagen matrix) was a feasible and productive approach to support dermal wound healing [1]. Therefore, development of novel curcumin formulation and delivery systems is required. The topical delivery of naturally occurring compounds, such as curcumin or catechins, is able to increase its solubility, stability, and pharmacological activities, resulting in improvement of therapeutic effects [6]. Additionally, chitosan, a polysaccharide biopolymer derived from naturally occurring chitin, displays unique polycationic, chelating, and film-forming properties due to the presence of active amino and hydroxyl functional groups. Chitosan also exhibits a number of interesting biological activities, including antimicrobial activity, induced disease resistance in plants, and diverse stimulating or inhibiting activities toward a number of human cell types [7, 8]. Moreover, chitosan can be used to prevent or treat wound and burn infections due to its intrinsic antimicrobial properties and its ability to deliver extrinsic antimicrobial agents to wounds and burns [9]. Additionally, it can accelerate the functions of inflammatory cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts [10, 11]. Chitosan and its derivatives are also used to
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijps/2013/106570/