Wound-healing effect of electrospun gelatin nanofibres containing Centella asiatica extract in a rat model

Centella asiatica (CA) is a traditional herbal medicine that has been shown to exert pharmacological effects on wound healing. This study demonstrated that CA extract facilitates the wound-repair process by promoting fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis and exhibits antibacterial activity. Gelatin nanofibres containing C. asiatica extract were fabricated via electrospinning and were shown to exhibit dermal wound-healing activity in a rat model. The wound areas of rat skin treated with electrospun gelatin membranes containing C. asiatica (EGC) presented the highest recovery rate compared with those treated with gauze, neat gelatin membranes and commercial wound dressings. The results of the histopathological examination support the outcome of the wound models. Contact-angle and water-retention measurements confirmed that the addition of C. asiatica extract did not significantly affect the hydrophilicity of the EGC membranes. The measured weight loss revealed that the EGC membranes are biodegradable. The findings suggest that EGC membranes are a promising material for the treatment of skin wounds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.