Abstract

Diabetic wound healing presents a significant clinical challenge in the expanding medical sector due to impaired blood circulation, neuropathy, protracted tissue regeneration, and increased susceptibility to persistent infection. Traditional wound dressings often fail to provide the multifunctional environment required for effective diabetic wound management. In this study, a biodegradable polymer-based wound dressing film incorporated with Biophytum sensitivum with a common name Mukkutti extract was developed to address these limitations. The plant extract which is rich in anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial phytochemicals, was successfully integrated into a cellulose acetate thin-film matrix. The resulting film, loaded with phytochemicals, exhibited improved physicochemical stability, uniform surface morphology, and enhanced mechanical integrity compared to the polymer control. Spectroscopic and structural analyses confirmed effective interactions between polymers and phytochemicals, along with a uniform distribution of bioactive substances throughout the film. Additionally, the developed dressing exhibited considerable antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria and supports cell viability towards 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell lines. Overall, the findings suggest that the developed film possesses a combination of physicochemical and biological properties relevant to wound management at an in vitro level. However, this study is limited to preliminary evaluation, and further investigations involving wound-specific functional parameters such as water vapor transmission, degradation behavior, extract release kinetics, and in vivo validation are required to establish its suitability for diabetic wound healing applications.

Keywords

Diabetic Wound Healing, Polymeric Wound Dressing, Biophytum Sensitivum, Cellulose Acetate Film, Phytochemical Delivery, Antimicrobial Activity, Cytocompatibility,

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References

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