Calcium ion mediated rapid wound healing by nano-ZnO doped calcium phosphate-chitosan-alginate biocomposites

Abstract We report a facile technique to prepare biocomposite dressing material using interpolymeric complexation of fibrous chitosan-alginate condensed with calcium phosphate (CaP-NPs) and zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs) nanoparticles to attain the cell proliferation, antibacterial activity and, enhance wound healing. The biocomposite was prepared by the solvent casting method after mixing the nanoparticles with chitosan and sodium alginate within the presence of sodium tri-polyphosphate as a crosslinking agent. CaP-NPs and ZnO-NPs were synthesized by the co-precipitation method and characterized by TEM and XRD. The crystallite size of the nanoparticles was found 73 and 44 nm respectively by XRD. It had been observed that, about 61% of Ca2+ ions was released from the prepared biocomposites in PBS at pH 5.5 with extremely enhanced swelling (about 431%). Among two bacterial strain E. coli and S.enterica, E. coli showed higher zone inhibition area. The biocompatibility testing of the biocomposite through with Vero and BHK-21 fibroblast cells indicated no toxicity to mammalian cells, and cell culture of BHK-21 showed a significant increase in cell density. The wound healing efficiency of the biocomposite was assessed in experimental full-thickness wounds utilizing a mice model, demonstrated that inside 10 days the wound was loaded up with new epithelium with no significant unfavorable impacts, though just 30% closure was found for ordinary bandage dressing. The in vivo results revealed that calcium phosphate-chitosan-alginate biocomposite may be a promising contender for CaP-NPs prompted rapid wound closure applications.