Development of a chitosan hydrogel containing flavonoids extracted from Passiflora edulis leaves and the evaluation of its antioxidant and wound healing properties for the treatment of skin lesions in diabetic mice.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a chitosan-based hydrogel containing a mixture of flavonoids isolated from the leaves of Passiflora edulis Sims and to evaluate its stability, antioxidant properties, and wound healing effects on cutaneous lesions in diabetic rats. in vitro studies were carried out to evaluate the biocompatibility and flavonoid release from the chitosan hydrogel. in vivo wound healing studies were conducted on male Wistar rats, where the injured tissue was removed for histological analysis and determination of lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione peroxidase activity. From the histological analysis and macroscopic evaluation of the contraction of the wounds, it was observed that the formulation presented wound healing properties. In addition, treatment of the wound with the formulation stimulated the antioxidant defense system, suggesting a beneficial effect during the treatment of skin lesions in diabetic rats, especially in the first few days after wounding. According to these results, we can conclude that the chitosan hydrogel containing the flavonoid analyzed in this study has potential use as dressings in the treatment of wounds.