Hybrid Bionanocomposite Containing Magnesium Hydroxide Nanoparticles Embedded in a Carboxymethyl Cellulose Hydrogel plus Silk Fibroin as a Scaffold for Wound Dressing Applications
Based on the promising biomedical
developments in wound healing strategies, herein, a new nanobiocomposite
scaffold was designed and presented by incorporation of carboxymethyl
cellulose hydrogels prepared using epichlorohydrin as a cross-linking
agent (CMC hydrogel), a natural silk fibroin (SF) protein, and magnesium
hydroxide nanoparticles (Mg(OH)2 NPs). Biological evaluation of the CMC hydrogel/SF/Mg(OH)2
nanobiocomposite scaffold was conducted via in vitro cell viability
assays and in vivo assays, red blood cell hemolysis, and antibiofilm
assays. Considering the cell viability percentage of Hu02 cells (84.5%)
in the presence of the prepared nanobiocomposite after 7 days, it was
indicated that this new nanoscaffold was biocompatible. The signs of
excellent hemocompatibility and the high antibacterial activity were
observed due to the low-point hemolytic effect (8.3%) and high-level
potential in constraining the P. aeruginosa biofilm formation
with a low OD value (0.13). Moreover, in vivo wound healing assay
results indicated that the wound healing method was faster in mice
treated with the prepared nanobiocomposite scaffold (82.29%) than the
control group (75.63%) in 12 days. Apart from the structural
characterization of the CMC hydrogel/SF/Mg(OH)2
nanobiocomposite through FTIR, EDX, FESEM, and TG analyses, compressive
mechanical tests, contact angle, porosity, and swelling ratio studies
indicated that the combination of the CMC hydrogel structure with SF
protein and Mg(OH)2 NPs could significantly impact Young’s
modulus (from 11.34 to 10.14 MPa), tensile strength (from 299.35 to
250.78 MPa), elongation at break (12.52 to 12.84%), hydrophilicity, and
water uptake capacity (92.5%).