Fabrication and Characterization of Microparticles Loaded with Bromelain for Wound Healing

Background and Objective: The skin is the body's largest organ. One of its primary functions is to protect the body against external factors such as bacteria, chemicals, and temperature. Extensive skin damage that threatens the entire organism requires immediate and effective treatment. Natural wound healing is a complex and dynamic multi-stage process involving coordinated interactions between growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and various cells. Any failure in these stages can result in abnormal wound healing. Therefore, efforts have been made to develop new therapeutic approaches for treatment. Early scar removal within ۴۸ hours is considered a key step in the treatment of partial and full-thickness burns. However, there is an unmet need for an effective and non-surgical debridement agent. Bromelain, a mixture of proteolytic enzymes from pineapple (Ananas comosus), is known as a potential debriding agent in the treatment of burns. In this study, the debridement efficiency of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) microparticles containing bromelain was evaluated.Materials and Methods: Bromelain - loaded microparticles were prepared using a double emulsion method, and their structure was examined by SEM. The mechanism of interaction between PLA and bromelain was studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The successful encapsulation of bromelain in PLA microparticles was measured. Subsequently, the release of bromelain by the microparticles in the medium was monitored for ۷ days through the measurement of the concentration of bromelain in the solution.Results: The prepared microparticles were perfectly spherical with a diameter of ۱.۳۱±۰.۹۲ µm. Chemical bonds between bromelain and PLA were identified. The encapsulation efficiency of bromelain in PLA microparticles was approximately ۵۱%. The in vitro release testing showed that the maximum bromelain release from the microparticles occurred within the first ۵ days (۹۵%).Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the chemical and physical properties of the bromelain-loaded microparticles could be considered as a potential factor in wound debridement.

کلیدواژه ها:

Bromelain ، Debridement ، PLA microparticles