The Effectiveness of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticle-Based Drugs in Wound Healing in Animal Models

Cutaneous regeneration remains a major challenge in biomedicine, prompting the exploration of novel therapeutic agents such as cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs, nanoceria). These nanoparticles exhibit multifaceted regenerative properties, including stimulation of metabolic and proliferative activity in keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, potent antioxidant effects, immunomodulatory potential, and antimicrobial activity. Although numerous in vitro studies have characterized these properties, there is a critical need to evaluate nanoceria in more physiologically relevant in vivo settings, where dynamic biological conditions may significantly influence their efficacy. Furthermore, the therapeutic performance of CeO2 NPs is highly dependent on the synthesis methods and formulation components (excipients and co-administered active substances). A review of existing in vivo studies investigating nanoceria-based formulations for wound healing addresses this gap. The authors found 25 relevant studies published as of September 2025 in major scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, which provided data on the effectiveness of using cerium oxide nanoparticles as components of medical devices or wound dressings in accelerating wound healing in animal models. This analysis synthesizes evidence on nanoparticle efficacy, formulation strategies, and observed biological outcomes across animal models. These findings indicate that nanoceria formulations can accelerate wound closure and modulate the key phases of tissue repair, although the outcomes vary with particle characteristics and delivery systems. While nanoceria hold considerable promise for clinical wound management, standardized reporting of synthesis protocols and rigorous comparative in vivo studies are essential to translate their potential into reliable therapeutic applications.