Abstract

HESPERIDIN-LOADED SILK FIBROIN HYDROGEL: AN INNOVATIVE WOUND DRESSING FOR ACCELERATED WOUND HEALING AND TISSUE REPAIR

Anjana Lekshmi S. S.*, Dr. Vipin K. V., Rafwana Ibrahim, Abhanya Surendran, Dr. Ann Rose Augusthy and Nejina V. Hussain

ABSTRACT

Wound healing is a complex process requiring an optimal microenvironment for effective tissue regeneration. Conventional treatments have limitations, prompting the exploration of tissue engineering and medicated textiles. Silk fibroin, a biocompatible and biodegradable material, has gained prominence in wound healing applications. Hesperidin, a bioactive flavonoid, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, enhances wound repair, but its poor solubility limits its therapeutic potential. Silk fibroin was extracted from Bombyx mori cocoons through degumming, dissolution, and dialysis. A polymer incorporated hydrogel was developed, and the ideal formulation for hesperidin incorporation was selected using a one-factor-at-a-time approach. The hydrogel was nanoemulsified and optimized using Design of Experiments. It was then characterized for physicochemical properties, drug release profile, and wound healing efficacy. Physical evaluations revealed its suitability for wound care, with a high swelling ratio (5.35 ± 0.02%), robust water uptake capacity (315 ± 2.9% in simulated wound fluid), and an optimal water vapor transmission rate (1420 ± 2.6 g/m²/day), ensuring a moist environment. Its porous structure (89 ± 0.35% porosity) and interconnected network support nutrient exchange and cell migration. FTIR and SEM analyses confirmed stable hesperidin incorporation and a biocompatible morphology. Sustained drug release followed zero-order kinetics with a non-Fickian mechanism governed by diffusion and matrix erosion. In vitro scratch assays using L929 cell lines showcased significantly accelerated wound closure rates confirming the hydrogel’s (F28) potential to enhance cell migration and proliferation. The hesperidin-loaded silk fibroin hydrogel integrates silk fibroin’s regenerative properties with hesperidin’s therapeutic benefits, making it a promising wound dressing material.

Keywords: Silk fibroin, wound healing, hesperidin, nanoemulsion, hydrogel.