Potential Use of Tailored Citicoline Chitosan-Coated Liposomes for Effective Wound Healing in Diabetic Rat Model

PURPOSE: This study aimed to formulate citicoline-loaded chitosan-coated liposomes (CT-CS-LPs) for topical administration and evaluated for wound healing in a diabetic animal model. METHODS: CT-LPs were formulated via a thin-film hydration approach and coated with chitosan (CS). Box-Behnken statistical design investigated the effects of lipid amount, chitosan concentration, and cholesterol amount on vesicle diameter, surface charge, and entrapment efficiency. The potential of the optimized CT-CS-LPs gel for wound healing was further evaluated in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats. The different healing stages were evaluated by several techniques, including general and special staining techniques, in addition to antibody immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The optimized CT-CS-LPs obtained had a mean size of 211.6 nm, a 50.7% entrapment efficiency, and a positive surface charge of 32.1 mV. In addition, the optimized CT-CS-LPs exhibited in vitro sustained release behavior. The in vivo experiments revealed that treatment with the optimized CT-CS-LPs boosts the healing process of the skin wound in diabetic rats by reducing inflammation, accelerating re-epithelization, angiogenesis, fibroblast proliferation, and connective tissue remodeling, leading to rapid wound closure. CONCLUSION: Chitosan-coated liposomes containing citicoline have emerged as a potential approach for promoting the healing process in diabetic rats. However, the therapeutic effectiveness of the suggested approach in diabetic patients needs to be investigated.