Chitosan/alginate hydrogel adorned with nanoemulsions for potential wound healing: Fabrication, characterization, and biocompatibility evaluation

Damage to the skin and creating a wound can always cause problems for the human body. Therefore, to repair the wound, the medical industry is looking for different methods to repair and regenerate the damaged tissue. One of the promising methods is tissue engineering and polymer scaffolds, including hydrogels. Chitosan and alginate are natural polymers widely used for wound healing and hydrogel preparation due to their excellent properties. Adding natural compounds such as essential oil and nettle (Urtica dioica) extract to hydrogels can effectively accelerate wound healing. Using nanocarriers such as nanoemulsions and putting nettle oil and extract in these systems can increase their efficiency in hydrogel structure and more effective wound healing. This study combines nanoemulsions containing nettle extract and oil in chitosan/alginate hydrogels, resulting in promising wound dressing materials. The findings show that these nanocomposites exhibit effective inhibition of bacterial growth, minimal cytotoxicity, increased cell adhesion, exceptional water absorption capabilities, and remarkable blood compatibility.