Abstract
Chitosan (CS) has been extensively studied as a natural polymer, in the field of wound repair, due to its useful properties, which include a lack of toxicity and stimulation, excellent biological affinity, degradability, and promotion of collagen deposition. However, inferior mechanical strength and moderate antibacterial properties are the drawbacks restricting its further clinical application. Many researchers have adopted the use of nanotechnology, in particular metallic nanoparticles (MNPs), in order to improve the mechanical strength and specific antibacterial properties of chitosan composites, with promising results. Furthermore, chitosan naturally functions as a reducing agent for MNPs, which can also reduce cytotoxicity. Thus, CS, in combination with MNPs, exhibits antibacterial activity, excellent mechanical strength, and anti‐inflammatory properties, and it has great potential to accelerate the process of wound healing. This review discusses the current use of CS and MNPs in wound healing and emphasises the synergy and the advantages for various applications in wound healing.
Highlights
As the largest external organ of the human body, skin plays an essential role in protecting the body from mechanical damage and microbial invasion. e skin is composed of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue; damage to the integrity of skin results in the formation of a wound
Stankovic et al prepared zinc oxide (ZnO) of various sizes and with different surface stabilisers, and the results showed that the bacteriostatic properties were not affected by particle size [122]
The addition of various metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) to CS was discussed as a novel and promising method for developing wound healing applications. It has been reported in many articles that the combination of CS and MNPs performs better than the individual components in wound healing
Summary
As the largest external organ of the human body, skin plays an essential role in protecting the body from mechanical damage and microbial invasion. e skin is composed of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue; damage to the integrity of skin results in the formation of a wound. Wound healing consists of the following four stages: (1) haemostatic stage, (2) inflammatory response stage, (3) cell proliferation stage, and (4) collagen fibre remodelling period [2] (Figure 1). By incorporating metal nanomaterials within the natural polymers, ideal nanocomposite systems with enhanced repair performance can be designed. Is model has received considerable interest in the field of wound healing for two main reasons: (1) the presence of MNPs significantly enhances the physical properties and antibacterial activities of natural polymer materials, and (2) the cytotoxicity of metal nanomaterials is significantly reduced when they are wrapped in natural polymers [21, 23, 24]. We will focus on systems combining CS and MNPs, which are beneficial for infection control and the healing process. We will discuss the challenges that hinder the application of this category of nanocomposite and explore perspectives on its promising future
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