Development of Zinc-loaded Hydrogel Infused with Aloe barbadensis Mucilage for Wound Healing

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 1 - 15, 22.07.2024

Ibilola Cardoso-daodu , Emmanuel Agbarakwe , Margaret Ilomuanya , Chukwuemeka Azubuike , Boladale Silva

https://doi.org/10.54994/emujpharmsci.1489024

Abstract

This study aims to formulate and characterize zinc-loaded hydrogel infused with Aloe barbadensis mucilage for wound dressing. Five formulations containing varying proportions of carbopol, zinc, Aloe and water (as vehicle) were developed via physical crosslinking using triethanolamine. All formulations had a translucent off-white colour while the control gave a transparent gel. The viscosity was the highest in the control, 30000.00 ± 2.07 PaS. The pH of the formulations was between 5.7 and 5.8. formulation 2 which was composed of 30 mg of Zinc and 1.4 mg of Aloe barbadensis incorporated into 1% w/v Carbopol Ultrez hydrogel polymer had the lowest swelling index of 79.2 ± 1.95% implying that it had the fastest drug release rate. The wounds treated with formulation 2 had the most rapid healing with no sign of scars in the wound area. Histomorphometric evaluation reflected a high re-epithelisation rate of 70%, a significant percentage occupied by collagen in granulation tissue of 85%. The thickness of the tissue's central region was 10 mm. The inflammatory cells /mm2 tissue was 200 cells/mm2 while the number of microvessels in granulation tissue was 1.0 microvessels/mm2. Zinc-loaded hydrogel infused with Aloe barbadensis mucilage shows great potential as a modern wound dressing.

Keywords

Aloe barbadensis, wound healing, hydrogel, Zinc.

Ethical Statement

Ethical Approval Number/CMULHREC Number: CMUL/ACUREC/02/24/1387 Name of Principal Investigators: Dr. Cardoso-Daodu Ibilola Date of receipt of valid application: 15th February, 2024 Date of meeting when final determination of research was made: 20th April, 2024 The above named proposal has been adequately reviewed; the protocol and safety guidelines satisfy the conditions of CMULHREC policies regarding experiments involving human and or animal participants. Therefore, the study under its reviewed state is hereby approved by the Health Research Ethics committee of College of Medicine of the University of Lagos.

Supporting Institution

University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Thanks

Thank you.

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