Fabrication of Chitosan/PEO/Rosmarinic acid based nanofibrous mat for diabetic burn wound healing and its anti-bacterial efficacy in mice.

The pathophysiological relationship between wound healing impairment and diabetes is an intricate process. Burn injury among diabetes patients leads to neurological, vascular, and immunological abnormalities along with impaired activities of cell proliferation, collagen production, growth factors, and cytokine activities with huge bacterial infestation. In our study, we aimed to achieve a burn wound dressing material with the help of electrospun Chitosan/Polyethylene oxide/Rosmarinic acid (CS/PEO/RA) nanofibers. Chitosan is known for its biocompatibility and anti-bacterial properties; however, the electrospinning of CS requires a co-polymer such as PEO, a synthetic biodegradable polymer. With the addition of a low concentration of RA, known for its antibacterial, antioxidative nature, we enhanced the antibacterial efficacy of the electrospun nanofiber. Electrospinning CS/PEO/RA, we were able to develop a non-toxic scaffold with fibers having an average diameter of 127.035 nm, mimicking the extracellular matrix and exhibiting sustained drug release. Excellent antimicrobial activity was observed against the identified bacterial species. It showed increased wound contraction and reduced scar formation in the diabetic mice model along with rapid repair of the damaged epithelial barrier. It enhanced the production of collagen, elastin, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Thus, it justifies itself as a diabetic burn wound dressing at low drug concentration.