Electrospun Cerium Oxide Nanoparticle/Aloe Vera Extract-Loaded Nanofibrous Poly(Ethylene Oxide)/Polyurethane Mats As Diabetic Wound Dressings

Currently the prevalence of diabetic wounds brings a huge encumbrance onto patients, causing high disability and mortality rates and a major medical challenge for society. Therefore, in this study, we are targeting to fabricate aloe vera extract infused biocompatible nanofibrous patches to facilitate the process of diabetic wound healing. Additionally, clindamycin has been adsorbed onto the surface of in-house synthesized ceria nanoparticles and again used separately to design a nanofibrous web, as nanoceria can act as a good drug delivery vehicle and exhibit both antimicrobial and antidiabetic properties. Various physicochemical characteristics such as morphology, porosity, and chemical composition of the produced nanofibrous webs were investigated. Bacterial growth inhibition and antibiofilm studies of the nanofibrous materials confirm its antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. An in vitro drug release study confirmed that the nanofibrous mat show a sustained drug release pattern (90% of drug in 96 h). The nanofibrous web containing drug loaded nanoceria not only showed superior in vitro performance but also promoted greater wound contraction (95 ± 2%) in diabetes-induced mice in just 7 days. Consequently, it efficaciously lowers the serum glucose level, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and hepatotoxicity markers as endorsed by various ex vivo tests. Conclusively, this in-house-fabricated biocompatible nanofibrous patch can act as a potential medicated suppository that can be used for treating diabetic wounds in the proximate future.