Chrysin loaded novasomes for enhanced wound healing management: In-vitro/ in-vivo evaluation

The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate novasomes (NOVs) loaded with Chrysin (CR) for the effective management of wound healing. Thin-film hydration technique was adopted for the preparation of Chrysin Novasomes (CR-NOVs). Vesicles were prepared employing cholesterol along with oleic acid and 3 types of non-ionic surfactants (Span 60, Span 40 and Tween 80) at different concentrations. CR-NOVs exhibited high CR EE%, ranging from 94.31 f 1.35 to 99.76 f 0.12 %. The vesicle size was between 214.5 f 1.4 to 493.4 f 9.8 nm. The prepared NOVs showed negative zeta potential values ranged from-16.4 f 4.96 to-33.2 f 3.45, confirming their good stability. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that the optimized vesicles had a spherical shape. CR release from NOVs was biphasic, and the release behavior followed Higuchi's model through diffusion mechanism. Topical application of CR-NOVs for 10 days reduced wound size and promoted wound healing activity via elevating collagen and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) synthesis as well as increasing tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1). Additionally, CR-NOVs treatments alleviated extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation by targeting matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2). These findings suggest that the created CR-NOVs may be a unique treatment that affects re-epithelization by increasing collagen and alpha-SMA, hence reducing the time of the wound-healing process.