Abstract:
The advancement and optimization of wound healing necessitate the application of contemporary wound closure techniques devoid of adverse side effects. In this study, a gelatin hydrogel incorporating vanillin and ferric ions (GVF), was meticulously synthesized. Furthermore, the synthesis of GVF hydrogels containing andrographolide-encapsulated silver nanoparticles (AGP-AgNPs) was diligently executed. These GVF/AGP-AgNP hydrogels exhibited remarkable biocompatibility while demonstrating no evidence of toxicity. Additionally, GVF/AGP-AgNP hydrogels showed the capacity to accelerate the wound healing process by stimulating collagen production in cultured dermal human cells and exhibiting antibacterial activity. Furthermore, in a 28-day treatment regimen involving rats with surgically induced wounds, the GVF/AGP-AgNP hydrogels not only expedited wound healing but also effectively reduced the bacterial colonies by attenuating the inflammatory phase of the wound, thereby expediting the transition to the proliferation and remodeling phase. Histological analyses, encompassing H & E and Massons trichrome staining, showed the presence of inflammation-inducing cells and heightened collagen deposition at the wound site. In addition, qRT-PCR analysis unveiled an upregulation of genes associated with the promotion of wound healing, including TGF-β1, EGF, VEGF, MMP1, collagen 1, and collagen 3, in comparison to the control hydrogel. Furthermore, the GVF/AGP-AgNP hydrogels exhibited nonirritating properties when applied to rabbit skin, in alignment with the OECD guidelines for cosmetics and hazardous substances. Taken together, this formulation of bioactive hydrogel presents itself as a safe and non-irritating biomaterial for wound dressing, warranting further investigation at the clinical level.