Development of Baicalin Loaded Soluplus Based Hydrogel Patch for Wound Dressing.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Baicalin exhibits poor aqueous solubility, limiting its therapeutic applications.
• Hydrogel patches offer a potential drug delivery system for wound healing.
• Soluplus can enhance drug solubility and permeation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize a baicalin-loaded Soluplus-based hydrogel patch.
• To evaluate the physicochemical properties, stability, and in vivo wound healing efficacy of the optimized patch.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of baicalin-loaded hydrogel patches using the freeze-thaw method.
• Optimization using a 3x2 factorial design with varying concentrations of PVA and Soluplus.
• Characterization of physicochemical properties, ex vivo permeation, stability, skin irritation, and wound healing efficacy in rat models.

Main Results:

• The optimized formulation (BF6) showed excellent physicochemical properties, including high drug content (90.23%) and swelling index (168.42%).
• Ex vivo studies demonstrated enhanced baicalin delivery (93.24% at 12h) with a flux of 5.73 mg/cm²/h.
• The patch exhibited good stability, no skin irritation, and significantly accelerated wound healing (92.13% contraction by day 9).

Conclusions:

• The optimized baicalin-Soluplus hydrogel patch is a promising approach for chronic wound management.
• The formulation addresses baicalin's solubility issues, providing controlled drug delivery and an optimal wound microenvironment.
• This advanced wound care therapy shows significant potential for clinical translation.