Development of collagen-chitosan dressing gel functionalized with propolis-zinc oxide nanoarchitectonics to...

Using an in situ sol-gel technique, new nanoarchitectonics of propolis loaded zinc oxide nanoarchitectonics (PP/ZnO-NPs) were developed in order to improve the in vivo outcomes of collagen-chitosan gel in wounded rats. The obtained nanoarchitectonics were fully characterized. The XRD results indicate the presence of a Zincite phase for ZnO-NPs and Zincite accompanied by a minor amount of zinc hydroxide for PP/ZnO-NPs samples. While the TEM findings illustrate the transfer of the ZnO-NPs from agglomerated spheres with an average particle size of 230 ± 29 nm to needle-like NPs of 323 ± 173 nm length (PP1/ZnO-NPs) and to a sheet-like NPs of 500 ± 173 nm diameter (PP2/ZnO-NPs). In addition, the incorporation of PP results in an increase in the surface negativity of ZnO-NPs to -31.4 ± 6.4 mV for PP2/ZnO-NPs. The antimicrobial activities of the nanocomposite gel loaded with 10%PP1/ZnO-NPs (G6) revealed the highest inhibition zone against E. coli (26 ± 2.31 mm). Remarkably, the in vivo outcomes showed that the nanocomposite gel (G6) has exceptional collagen deposition, quick wound closure rates, and re-epithelization. The outcomes demonstrate the nanocomposite gel encouraging biological properties for the treatment of damaged and infected wounds.