Burn injury remains one of the most devastating burdens
on global
public health. The inflammation, caused by burn injury and transplantation
of dermal scaffolds, often leads to delayed burn wound healing. Esculentoside
A (EsA), with a strong anti-inflammatory capacity, is an available
agent that might contribute to the treatment of burn wounds. However,
the poor stability and toxicity of EsA limit its clinical application.
In the present study, we constructed chitosan/alginate nanoparticles
(EsA-CS/ALG-NPs) to improve sustainability and reduce toxicity followed
by impregnation of the prepared EsA-CS/ALG-NPs into a collagen/chitosan
scaffold (EsA-CS/ALG-NPs@CCS). The particle size, structural morphology,
thermal properties, and chemical interaction of repaired nanoparticles
were evaluated using the Nanometrics instrument, differential scanning
calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy, respectively. The hybrid EsA-CS/ALG-NPs@CCS
was evaluated for physical characteristics, in vitro drug release,
biocompatibility, and anti-inflammation capacity with RAW 264.7 cells
and in vivo burn wound healing studies with SD rats. The results showed
that we successfully constructed CS/ALG-NPs and optimized the preparation
process to achieve the highest encapsulation efficiency. The hybrid
EsA-CS/ALG-NPs@CCS, with reduced cytotoxicity and sustained release
of EsA, could alleviate inflammation, decrease the ratio of M1 macrophages,
and increase the proportion of M2 macrophages in vitro. It was demonstrated
that 5 μg EsA CS/ALG-NPs@CCS not only reduces inflammatory cytokines
secretion and inhibits M1 macrophages but also promotes the release
of anti-inflammatory cytokines and activates M2 macrophages, thereby
achieving accelerated and high-quality healing of burn wounds ultimately.
In summary, our work suggests that the synergistic combination of
EsA, nanoparticles, and scaffolds provided a promising strategy for
treating burn injuries.