1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
2Department of Pharmaceutics, Maratha Mandal's College of Pharmacy, Belagavi-590016, Karnataka, India
3Basic Medical Sciences Department, College of Medicine, Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
4Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
5Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
Corresponding Authors:
Dr. Nagesh C
Professor and HOD, Department of Pharmaceutics, Maratha Mandal's College of Pharmacy, Belagavi-590016, Karnataka, India
Email: nagesh1273@gmail.com
Dr. Krishna Swaroop
Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Email: ksreehari@kfu.edu.sa
Dr. Pavan Kumar Pavagada Sreenivasalu
Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of honey gel-based wound care preparation using nanoparticles (NPs) of zinc oxide (ZnO) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) to facilitate wound healing. ZnO-NPs and Fe₂O₃-NPs were synthesized by the precipitation method and their concentration, pH, and temperature were optimized. Particle size, zeta potential, FTIR, SEM, and UV-visible spectroscopy were used in the characterization process. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were tested for antibacterial activity using the MIC technique. Optimized NPs were incorporated with carbopol 934 in a honey-based gel and evaluated for various physicochemical parameters. A wound healing efficacy model was conducted in Wistar albino rats using an excision wound model and the results were supported by histological tests. The ZnO-NPs had an absorbance peak at 357 nm, a mean particle size of 157.1 nm, and a zeta potential of 14.4 mV, indicating they are very stable. The Fe₂O₃-NPs absorbed the light at 300 nm, with a size of 186.8 nm and a zeta potential of 12.6 mV. SEM analysis showed ZnO-NPs to be spherical and Fe₂O₃-NPs irregular in shape, with both exhibiting significant antimicrobial activities. The activity of these NPs was found to be broad-spectrum, as indicated by MIC values. In vivo studies revealed that honey gels loaded with NPs significantly enhanced wound contraction compared to the control and plain gel groups (p < 0.05). By day 21, the ZnO-NPs gel and Fe₂O₃-NPs gel achieved wound contraction rates of 99.44 ± 0.06% and 99 ± 0.11%, respectively. Histopathological analysis showed complete re-epithelialization, increased collagen deposition, and reduced inflammatory infiltration in the treated groups. The study shows that honey-based gels containing ZnO-NPs and Fe₂O₃-NPs significantly enhanced healing of wounds and antibacterial effects in comparison with the control group. The combination of metal oxide nanoparticles and honey makes these compositions potential candidates for topical wound treatment.
Keywords: Zinc oxide nanoparticles; Iron oxide nanoparticles; Honey-based gel; Wound healing; Excision wound model; Histopathology.
How to cite this article: Alghadeer MM, Gudennavar P, Setty NC, Attimarad S, Sangi SMA, Swaroop K, Nagaraja S, Meravanige G, Sreenivasalu PKP. Evaluation of Cation-Mediated Wound Healing Effects in Honey-Based Gel Formulations. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(9s): 57-67; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.9s.7
Source of support: None
Conflict of interest: None