Chitosan-Fibrin Nanocomposites as Drug Delivering and Wound Healing Materials

In the present study, chitosan-fibrin nanocomposites (CFNs) were prepared using a novel method and analysed for their physico-chemical properties. TEM and SEM studies revealed their size in the range of 24–28 nm with zeta potential value of +16 mV. Anti-bacterial activity of CFN was investigated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. For drug delivery applications, 71% of methotrexate (MTX) was entrapped in CFNs that displayed sustained release for up to 96 h. Anti-cancer activity of MTX-CFN was evaluated on HeLa and MCF 7 cells, which showed dose-dependent toxicity on both the cell lines. Further, the role of CFN in wound healing was studied by creating open excision wounds on albino rats. Topical application of CFN, once in two days, for up to 10 days resulted in complete healing of wounds on day 14 whereas it took 22 days in control. Histological and biochemical analyses proved increased synthesis of collagen with active migration of fibroblasts and epithelial cells in CFN treated wounds. From our study, it is proposed that CFN may be used as a suitable candidate for drug delivery and wound healing applications.