College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, #18 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
Department of Pharmacy, Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, China.
Drug Deliv Transl Res. 2024 Sep;14(9):2461-2473. doi: 10.1007/s13346-024-01520-1. Epub 2024 Jan 31.
Artemisia argyi, commonly known as wormwood, is a traditional Chinese herbal food and medicine celebrated for its notable antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. This study explores a novel delivery method for wormwood, aiming for more convenient and versatile applications. Specifically, we present the first investigation into combining wormwood with microstructures to create a microneedle (MN) patch for wound healing. The wormwood microneedle (WMN) patch is formulated with milled wormwood sap, calcium carbonate, and sodium hyaluronate. The addition of 0.3% (w/v) sodium hyaluronate enhances the mechanical strength of the WMN patch. Pectin, derived from wormwood, is combined with calcium carbonate to create a gelatinous and solidified substance. The WMN patch exhibits a well-defined shape and sufficient mechanical strength to penetrate the epidermis, as confirmed by our results. In vitro experiments demonstrate the biocompatibility of the WMN patch with fibroblasts and highlight its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, the patch facilitates collagen deposition at the wound site. In an excisional rat model, the WMN patch significantly accelerates the wound closure rate compared to the control group. Our findings suggest that the WMN patch has the potential to serve as a natural treatment for wound healing. Additionally, this approach can be extended to other biologically active substances with similar physiochemical characteristics in future applications.
艾蒿，俗称艾草，是一种传统的中草药，以其显著的抗菌和抗炎特性而闻名。本研究探索了一种新的艾草传递方法，旨在实现更方便、更通用的应用。具体来说，我们首次研究了将艾草与微结构结合，创建用于伤口愈合的微针 (MN) 贴片。艾草微针 (WMN) 贴片由研磨的艾草汁、碳酸钙和透明质酸钠制成。添加 0.3%（w/v）的透明质酸钠可增强 WMN 贴片的机械强度。果胶，来源于艾草，与碳酸钙结合，形成凝胶状和固化物质。WMN 贴片具有明确的形状和足够的机械强度，可以穿透表皮，我们的结果证实了这一点。体外实验表明，WMN 贴片与成纤维细胞具有生物相容性，并突出了其抗菌和抗炎特性。此外，该贴片促进了胶原蛋白在伤口部位的沉积。在大鼠切除模型中，与对照组相比，WMN 贴片显著加快了伤口闭合速度。我们的研究结果表明，WMN 贴片有可能成为伤口愈合的天然治疗方法。此外，在未来的应用中，这种方法可以扩展到具有类似物理化学特性的其他生物活性物质。
