Design of a Multifunctional Biomaterial Inspired by Ancient Chinese Medicine for Hair Regeneration in Burned Skin

In deep burn injuries, the dermis of the skin is often severely damaged, and hair follicles are also lost and lose the potential for regeneration. Therefore, the development of wound dressings that promote hair follicle regeneration has important clinical significance. In this study, inspired by an ancient Chinese medicine prescription, a novel fibrous membrane (P/Qu/Cup; P, PCL; Qu, quercetin; Cup, cuprorivaite, CaCuSi₄O₁₀) containing quercetin-copper (Qu-Cu) chelates was fabricated by using quercetin and a highly bioactive bioceramic (CaCuSi₄O₁₀) incorporated in PCL/gelatin electrospun fibers. The fibrous membrane can effectively release Qu and Cu ions to induce proliferation, migration, and differentiation of skin and hair follicle related cells, and the Qu, Cu ions, and Si ions released from the composite membrane revealed synergistic activity to stimulate hair follicle regeneration and wound healing. Our study demonstrated that the analysis of the common components in ancient Chinese prescription is an effective approach to design novel bioactive materials for regenerative medicine.