Efeito da membrana de alginato de sódio contendo extrato hidroalcoólico de Solanum stipulaceum Will na cicatrização de feridas cutâneas excisionais induzidas em camundongos

Abstract

Wounds represent an important public health problem, affecting quality of life and impacting 1%-2% of the population in developed countries. Given the high cost and limited effectiveness of conventional treatments, there has been growing interest in innovative therapies, such as polymer-based dressings associated with natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this context, medicinal plants stand out as a widely used therapeutic alternative. Based on this issue, the present study aimed to evaluate the woundhealing potential of sodium alginate membranes incorporated with hydroalcoholic extract of Solanum stipulaceum in cutaneous wounds induced in mice. For this purpose, alginate membranes (Alg) containing different concentrations of the extract (Alg+Sol 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1%) were developed and characterized for contact angle, mechanical properties, and antioxidant activity. The membranes exhibited adequate mechanical properties, with contact angles below 90° and increased mechanical resistance as the concentration of the incorporated extract increased. In addition, in vitro antioxidant activity was observed, as evidenced by the reduction of DPPH and ABTS radicals. Based on the physicochemical and antioxidant results, the membrane containing 1% extract (Alg+Sol 1%) was selected for in vivo analyses to evaluate its wound-healing potential. After approval by the Animal Research Ethics Committee (No. 1344060422), excisional wounds were induced in mice and treated topically with Alg or Alg+Sol (1%) membranes. The control group received no treatment (NT). Wound healing progression was measured on days 0, 3, 7, 10, and 14 after induction. On day 7, a higher wound closure rate was observed in the Alg+Sol (1%) group compared to the NT (-20.15%; p < 0.05) and Alg (-19.76%; p < 0.0001) groups, with the significant difference maintained until day 10 for the Alg+Sol (1%) group compared to the Alg group (-11.50%; p < 0.05).This effect was accompanied by a reduction in interleukin (IL)-1β levels in the Alg+Sol (1%) group on day 3 (53.23 pg/mg; p < 0.05 vs. NT) and on day 7 (26.91 pg/mg; p < 0.05 vs. NT; 37.44 pg/mg; p < 0.01 vs. Alg), as well as an increase in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression (0.371 relative variation; p < 0.01 vs. Alg).On day 10, the Alg+Sol (1%) group also showed a significant reduction in total hydroperoxide levels (0.11 µmol/µL; p < 0.05 vs. Alg), indicating antioxidant activity. Histological analyses performed on days 7 and 14 revealed evidence of reepithelialization and collagen deposition in the Alg+Sol (1%) group, which also showed higher histological grading compared with the NT group on day 14 (p < 0.05). These results indicate that Alg+Sol membranes were prepared with favorable properties for wound-healing applications and demonstrated healing activity in cutaneous wounds, possibly through modulation of inflammation and antioxidant activity, making them a promising biomaterial alternative for wound treatment.