Thermosensitive Sprayable Lidocaine-Allantoin Hydrogel: Optimization and In Vitro Evaluation for Wound Healing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Pharmaceutics

Background:

• Effective wound healing necessitates concurrent pain management, inflammation control, infection prevention, and tissue regeneration.
• Conventional topical wound treatments often present challenges in application and patient compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and in vitro evaluate a novel, non-contact, thermosensitive spray hydrogel.
• To incorporate lidocaine for rapid analgesia and allantoin for tissue repair within the hydrogel formulation.

Main Methods:

• Response surface methodology was employed to optimize chitosan and Poloxamer 407 concentrations for desired hydrogel properties.
• Key parameters including viscosity, gelation temperature, rheological behavior, sprayability, and lidocaine release were assessed.
• In vitro cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory effects (TNF-α), and keratinocyte migration (scratch assay) were investigated.

Main Results:

• Optimized hydrogels exhibited suitable viscosity for room-temperature spraying and rapid sol-gel transition at body temperature (T_G ~29 °C).
• Lidocaine release was rapid, reaching 95-100% within 120 minutes.
• In vitro studies confirmed the hydrogels' biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory potential, and ability to support cell migration.

Conclusions:

• The developed thermosensitive spray hydrogel effectively combines lidocaine and allantoin for enhanced wound healing.
• Touch-free application, rapid gelation, and improved sprayability offer significant advantages over traditional formulations.
• The formulation demonstrates excellent patient compliance potential, reduced contamination risk, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy.