Ascorbyl palmitate/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex loaded nanofibrous membrane for accelerated diabetic wound healing

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in chronic skin wounds impedes the healing process, thus it is necessary to eliminate the ROS from the vicinity of the wound in time. Ascorbyl palmitate (AP) is a potent antioxidant that suffers from solubility constraints, which largely limits its application. This study aims to improve AP's solubility by encapsulating it within 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) to acquire AP/CD inclusion complex (IC). This advancement facilitates the development of antioxidant and antibacterial nanofibrous membranes via electrospinning, utilizing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and quaternary ammonium chitosan (QCS). The developed PVA/QCS combined with AP/CD-IC (PVA/QCS-IC) nanofibers increase the release of AP, boasting good antioxidant property. In comparison to the PVA/QCS combined with AP counterparts (PVA/QCS-AP), where AP is not encapsulated in HP-β-CD, the PVA/QCS-IC nanofibers provide notable protection against oxidative stress in human skin fibroblasts and increased Col-I expression levels. Additionally, the PVA/QCS-IC nanofibers are able to suppress the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, the PVA/QCS-IC nanofibers could effectively promote diabetic wound healing, facilitate collagen deposition, and reduce skin inflammation response when applied as a wound dressing in diabetic mice. The results suggest that the PVA/QCS-IC nanofibers represent a promising solution for both enhancing AP solubility and its therapeutic potential, positioning them as potential candidates for diabetic wound care applications.