A novel curcumin-loaded composite dressing facilitates wound healing due to its natural antioxidant effect

PURPOSE: To prepare a novel wound dressing to facilitate cutaneous wound healing. METHODS: Curcumin (Cur) was added to the ring-shaped β-cyclodextrin (CD) to form a β-CD–Cur inclusion complex (CD-Cur). CD-Cur was then integrated into a composite chitosan–alginate (CA) mix. Finally, CA-CD-Cur was generated with a freeze-drying technique. Water-uptake capacity, degradation rate, and drug-release kinetics of the newly formed dressing were investigated in vitro. In animal studies, cutaneous wounds in rats were created, treated with CA-CD-Cur, then compared to CA-Cur, CA, and gauze. RESULTS: CA-CD-Cur–treated wounds showed accelerated closure rates, improved histopathological results, and lower SOD, lipid peroxidation, pI3K, and pAktkt levels than other groups. On the contrary, catalase, IκBα, and TGFβ(1) levels were higher than others. CONCLUSION: CA-CD-Cur may facilitate cutaneous wound dressing that facilitate wound healing.