Progress in chitosan/essential oil/ZnO nanobiocomposites fabrication for wound healing applications: A review

The development of therapeutic agents for wound healing is a key research area that focuses on coagulopathy and hospitalization. Wound healing involves various signaling pathways, the immune system, blood flow, and various cell types with urgent demands for agents that enhance cellular signaling, collagen deposition, neovascularization, and antimicrobial activity while minimizing scarring. Chitosan (CS) and zinc oxide (ZnO) exhibit synergistic properties that eliminate infection during treatment. Chitosan functions as a binding agent, influencing cellular responses to therapeutic-free products like essential oils (EOs). Interest in wound healing is growing due to nanomaterials, including metal and metal-oxide nanoparticles, which stimulate cellular proliferation, blood vessel formation, and possess anti-inflammatory properties. CS, EOs, and ZnO-NPs promoted wound healing through synergistic effects. Chitosan promotes clotting, combats bacteria, and aids tissue repair. Essential oils, like tea tree oil, provide antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits. ZnO-NPs enhance antibacterial action, angiogenesis, and collagen synthesis with low toxicity. Together, they form advanced dressings using chitosan as a scaffold, EOs providing bioactivity, and ZnO-NPs offering nanotechnology-driven efficacy. This combination accelerates healing, combats resistant pathogens, and supports chronic wound care using sustainable materials. This review examines the methods for creating hybrid materials using chitosan, EOs, and ZnO-NPs for skin regeneration.