Natural rubber latex-based biomaterials for drug delivery and regenerative medicine: Trends and directions.

Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) has shown to be a promising biomaterial for use as a drug delivery system to release various bioactive compounds. It is cost-effective, easy to handle, biocompatible, and exhibits pro-angiogenic and pro-healing properties for both soft and hard tissues. NRL releases compounds following burst and sustained release kinetics, exhibiting first-order release kinetics. Moreover, its pore density can be adjusted for tailored kinetics profiles. In addition, biotechnological applications of NRL in amblyopia, smart mattresses, and neovaginoplasty have demonstrated success. This comprehensive review explores NRL's diverse applications in biotechnology and biomedicine, addressing challenges in translating research into clinical practice. Organized into eight sections, the review emphasizes NRL's potential in wound healing, drug delivery, and metallic nanoparticle synthesis. It also addresses the challenges in enhancing NRL's physical properties and discusses its interactions with the human immune system. Furthermore, examines NRL's potential in creating wearable medical devices and biosensors for neurological disorders. To fully explore NRL's potential in addressing important medical conditions, we emphasize throughout this review the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration. In conclusion, this review advances our understanding of NRL's role in biomedical and biotechnological applications, offering insights into its diverse applications and promising opportunities for future development.

Comparing the wound healing potential of natural rubber latex serum and F1-protein: An in vivo approach.

Chronic wounds pose significant health concerns. Current treatment options include natural compounds like natural rubber latex (NRL) from Hevea brasiliensis. NRL, particularly the F1 protein fraction, has demonstrated bioactivity, biocompatibility, and angiogenic effects. So far, there is no study comparing F1 protein with total NRL serum, and the necessity of downstream processing remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the angiogenic potential of F1 protein compared to total NRL serum and the need for downstream processing. For that, ion exchange chromatography (DEAE-Sepharose), antioxidant activity, physicochemical characterization, cell culture in McCoy fibroblasts, and wound healing in Balb-C mice were performed. Also, the evaluation of histology and collagen content and the levels of inflammatory mediators were quantified. McCoy fibroblast cell assay showed that F1 protein (0.01 %) and total NRL serum (0.01 %) significantly increased cell proliferation by 47.1 ± 11.3 % and 25.5 ± 2.5 %, respectively. However, the AA of F1 protein (78.9 ± 0.8 %) did not show a significant difference compared to NRL serum (77.0 ± 1.1 %). F1 protein and NRL serum were more effective in wound management in rodents. Histopathological analysis confirmed accelerated healing and advanced tissue repair. Similarly, the F1 protein (0.01 %) increased collagen, showing that this fraction can stimulate the synthesis of collagen by fibroblastic cells. Regarding cytokines production (IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ), F1 protein and NRL serum did not exert an impact on the synthesis of these cytokines. Furthermore, we did not observe statistically significant changes in dosages of enzymes (MPO and EPO) among the groups. Nevertheless, Nitric Oxide dosage was reduced drastically when the F1 protein (0.01 %) protein was applied topically. These findings contribute to the understanding of F1 protein and NRL serum properties and provide insights into cost-effectiveness and practical applications in medicine and biotechnology. Therefore, further research is needed to assess the economic feasibility of downstream processing for NRL-based herbal medicine derived from Hevea brasiliensis.