Quercetin/Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex-Loaded Hydrogels for Accelerated Wound Healing

Area of Science:

• * Materials Science
• * Polymer Chemistry
• * Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• * Quercetin, a natural flavonoid, exhibits poor solubility and stability, limiting its therapeutic applications.
• * Cyclodextrin inclusion complexes enhance the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
• * Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels offer a versatile platform for drug delivery due to their biocompatibility and tunable properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To develop a quercetin/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) inclusion complex loaded into a PVA hydrogel.
• * To enhance the stability and solubility of quercetin for potential therapeutic use.
• * To evaluate the physicochemical, biocompatibility, and antioxidant properties of the developed hydrogel system for wound-healing applications.

Main Methods:

• * Quercetin was encapsulated into HP-β-CD using the solvent evaporation method.
• * The quercetin/HP-β-CD complex was dispersed in PVA solutions and crosslinked via freeze-thaw cycles to form hydrogels.
• * Physicochemical characterization included FT-IR, XRD, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, swelling ratio, and compressive strength.
• * Cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT assay on NCTC 929 cells.
• * Antioxidant activity was evaluated via DPPH free radical scavenging assay.

Main Results:

• * The quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex exhibited high encapsulation efficiency (90.50%) and loading capacity (4.67%).
• * Successful complex formation was confirmed by FT-IR and XRD analysis.
• * PVA hydrogels loaded with the inclusion complex showed controlled quercetin release, with no significant impact on swelling ratio but reduced gelation and compressive strength at higher concentrations.
• * The hydrogels demonstrated excellent biocompatibility with NCTC 929 cells.
• * Quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex hydrogels exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity compared to free quercetin.

Conclusions:

• * The developed quercetin/HP-β-CD inclusion complex effectively enhances quercetin's stability and solubility.
• * PVA hydrogels serve as a suitable matrix for delivering quercetin, demonstrating good biocompatibility and enhanced antioxidant properties.
• * The quercetin-loaded hydrogel system shows significant potential as an effective delivery platform for wound-healing applications.