RESUMEN
Wound dressings created using nanotechnology are known as suitable substrates to speed up the healing of both acute and chronic wounds. Therapeutic substances can be delivered using these materials. In this study, a hydrogel loaded with Cu (II) Schiff base 8-hydroxy quinoline complex (CuSQ) solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) was formulated to investigate its wound healing potential in an excision wound healing model in rats. The CuSQ SLN were spherical shaped with sizes ranging from 111 to 202 nm and a polydispersity index (PDI) ranging from 0.43 to 0.76, encapsulation efficiency (EE) % between 85 and 88, and zeta potential (ZP) of -11.8 to -40 mV. The formulated hydrogel showed good homogeneity, good stability, and a pH of 6.4 which indicates no skin irritation and had no cytotoxicity on the human skin fibroblast (HSF) cell line. In the in vivo study, animals were placed in five groups: control, standard, plain hydrogel, low dose, and high dose of CuSQ hydrogel. Both doses of CuSQ showed significantly faster healing rates compared to standard and control rats. In addition, the histopathology study showed more collagen, improved angiogenesis, and intact re-epithelization with less inflammation. A significant increase in transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-ß1) level and increased immune expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by CuSQ treatment validates its role in collagen synthesis, proliferation of fibroblasts and enhancement of angiogenesis. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was found to be significantly reduced after CuSQ treatment. Immunohistochemistry of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) revealed a marked decrease in inflammation. Thus, we concluded that CuSQ would be a beneficial drug for cutaneous wound healing since it effectively accelerated wound healing through regulation of various cytokines and growth factors.
RESUMEN
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the lining of the synovial joints and approximately affects 0.5 - 1% of the total population imposing a socioeconomic burden. The current study aimed at investigating the novel possible beneficial effects of using zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on such devastating disease. The complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) model was used to mimic RA in rats where ZnO NPs were given orally (2 mg/kg/day) daily for 14 days; and diclofenac Na, the standard drug, was given intraperitoneally (1 mg/kg/day) the day after CFA, daily for 14 days. Our results displayed that ZnO NPs attenuated adjuvant-induced increased production of inflammatory mediators interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and total leukocyte count. Besides, they ameliorated autoimmunity through suppression of anti-citrullinated protein auto antibodies (anti-CCP) levels in rats. In conclusion our results highlight the benefits which could be obtained of nanoparticles either alone or in combination with the known anti-arthritic and/or anti-inflammatory agents, giving rise to new protocols to maximize the control of RA.