A marker-standardized Melastoma malabathricum leaf extract-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanocurcumin hydrogel improves repair in splinted diabetic wounds in mice.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a marker-standardized Melastoma malabathricum leaf extract-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocurcumin hydrogel and test whether Chou-Talalay-guided ratio selection improves diabetic wound repair. METHODS: The extract was standardized using phenolic and flavonoid indices, high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection fingerprinting, and quantification of gallic acid and quercetin. PLGA nanocurcumin was qualified for particle size, surface charge, encapsulation, and release. Cytocompatibility, migration, inflammatory responses, reactive oxygen species-related redox responses, and fixed-ratio interactions were assessed in keratinocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts. The Chou-Talalay-selected ratio was incorporated into a Carbopol hydrogel and tested in splinted diabetic excisional wounds in mice. KEY FINDINGS: Both components met predefined quality criteria. The 1:1 equipotent ratio showed consistent synergy and was formulated at 2.0 mg extract plus 0.2 mg curcumin-equivalent PLGA nanocurcumin per 0.1 g gel. The hydrogel showed acceptable quality, release, retention, and 30-day stability. It improved Day 14 wound closure compared with vehicle, from 56 ± 8% to 90 ± 2%, with greater histological repair, collagen maturation, and hydroxyproline content. Supportive tissue markers indicated lower inflammation, improved redox balance, repair-associated macrophage marker shifts, angiogenesis, and matrix remodelling. CONCLUSIONS: This ratio-defined, marker-standardized extract-PLGA nanocurcumin hydrogel improved diabetic wound repair and provides a quality-controlled, quantitatively optimized topical platform for further preclinical development.