Naringenin and collagen encapsulated alginate containing niosomes: A novel drug delivery system for wound healing.

Wound healing is a complex process, the disruption of which can lead to infection, scarring, and chronic wounds. Natural agents such as naringenin, a flavonoid with antioxidant activity, and collagen, a structural protein with anti-inflammatory properties, can enhance wound repair. Niosomes are vesicular carriers that can improve the delivery of healing agents. In this study, a polymeric niosomal system containing naringenin and collagen was developed and its wound healing efficacy was evaluated. A 2 × 3 factorial design with 8 primary formulations was used to optimize formulation variables. Niosomes were prepared by a modified thin-film hydration method and incorporated into a topical gel. An in vivo rat excisional wound model was used to assess wound healing over 15 days. The optimized niosomes were 236.03 ± 12.80 nm with poly dispersity value of 0.45 ± 0.05. The zeta potential value was -49.50 ± 0.87 mv and entrapment efficiency of naringenin and collagen were 36.77% and 39.26% respectively. Moreover, drug loading for naringenin and collagen were 3.33% and 3.56% respectively. The optimized niosomal collagen-naringenin gel showed suitable stability and demonstrated wound healing efficacy comparable to the positive control and significantly superior to negative and sham groups (P < 0.05).