Phytochemical Incorporated Drug Delivery Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration

Abstract

Tissue-engineered scaffolds are platforms for drug delivery and potential candidates for skin, musculoskeletal, bone and cardiac tissue engineering. Though scaffolds incorporated with drugs, growth factors and cytokines are reported, research focusing on phytochemical-incorporated tissue-engineered scaffolds for tissue regeneration and repair are scarce. Phytochemicals used in traditional medicine are treasure houses which have a wide range of biochemical and functional activities that are yet to be explored and if tagged to innovative technologies can easily enable a new generation of tissue-engineered products. Moreover, well characterised and standardised phytochemicals are economic and non-toxic alternatives to synthetic growth factors and cytokines. This review brings into focus—(1) the potential phytochemical candidates for future tissue engineering applications and (2) the incorporation strategies that could be adopted for the synthesis of de novo phytochemical releasing biomaterials and tissue-engineered medical products (TEMP). Tissue-engineered scaffolds are platforms for drug delivery and have immense applications in skin, musculoskeletal, bone and cardiac tissue regeneration. Though such scaffolds incorporated with drugs and growth factors are available, research focusing on phytochemical-incorporated tissue-engineered scaffolds for stem cells and tissue regeneration are scarce. Phytochemicals in traditional medicine are treasure houses with varied biochemical and functional activities that are yet to be explored and this review highlights the gateway of the potential phytochemical candidates for future tissue engineering applications. Phytochemical incorporation strategies are also adopted for the new generation of drug releasing biomaterials and tissue-engineered medical products (TEMP). Future research aims at synthesising and developing biocompatible ceramic/polymeric scaffolds incorporated with easily available, economic and non-toxic formulation of phytochemicals which are effectively used in traditional medicine. Proof of burden studies for safety and efficacy of these scaffolds will be performed in suitable animal models to promote tissue regeneration and repair.