Methylene blue loaded solid lipid nanoparticles: Preparation, optimization, and in-vivo burn healing assessment

• Published in: Journal of drug delivery science and technology 2022-04, Vol.70, p.103209, Article 103209
• Main Authors: Farmoudeh, Ali, enayatifard, Reza, Saeedi, Majid, Talavaki, Fatemeh, Ghasemi, Maryam, Akbari, Jafar, Nokhodchi, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Box-behnken design; Burn wound healing; Methylene blue; Solid lipid nanoparticles
• ISSN: 1773-2247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103209

Previous studies have shown that topical antioxidants are effective in controlling skin inflammation and accelerating tissue repair. Methylene blue with significant antioxidant effects was incorporated in solid lipid nanoparticles (MB-SLNs) and their impact on accelerating burn wound healing in a Wistar rat animal model was investigated. To this end, nanoparticles were prepared by ultra-sonication technique. The Box-Benken design (BBD) optimized the formulation variables, including lipid concentration, emulsifier/lipid, and sonication time. An in-vitro drug release test was performed using the dialysis tube technique, and the release kinetics was determined. Partial-thickness burn wounds were induced in the skin of Wistar rats. Wound size reduction and histopathological changes were assessed over 21 days. The optimum colloidal particles were spherical with an average size of 183.5 nm and entrapment efficiency of 75.24%. The difference between experimental data and BBD prediction was less than 1%. The MB-SLNs release data followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas and Weibull models. Histological results revealed that skin tissue recovery occurred significantly faster in the MB-SLNs treated group than simple methylene blue gel and negative control. In conclusion, in-vivo studies proved that methylene blue nanoparticles with a high entrapment efficiency significantly accelerated the burn healing process. [Display omitted]