Ultrasound-Responsive Microcapsules Delivering Oxygen and Traditional Chinese Medicine for Wound Healing

Hydrogel microparticles with different actives encapsulation have reliable efficacy in wound repair, and the challenge is to improve the active substance to improve the efficacy. Here, a novel ultrasonic responsive core-shell microcapsule delivery system is proposed, which can simultaneously load traditional Chinese medicine sonosensitizer and oxygen synergistic effect to promote the healing of infected wounds. The microcapsule has a core of oxygen-rich perfluorocarbon (PO) and a hydrogel shell with curcumin (PO/C-MC). Ultrasound can trigger the release of oxygen from perfluorocarbon and stimulate the sonodynamic effect of curcumin, which is not only an anti-inflammatory traditional Chinese medicine but also a sonosensitizer, thus realizing the synergistic treatment of traditional Chinese medicine and acoustic dynamics. Under the irradiation of low-intensity ultrasound, PO/C-MCs can effectively increase the oxygen concentration and enhance the antibacterial effect of sonodynamic therapy, synergizing with the anti-inflammatory effect of traditional Chinese medicine to promote the rapid healing of chronic infected wounds. The study demonstrated that ultrasound-responsive PO/C-MCs microcapsules significantly enhanced the healing process of infected wounds in mice. Given these beneficial characteristics, PO/C-MCs represent a promising therapeutic candidate with considerable potential for clinical application in managing chronic infected wounds.