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Gels
Special Issues
Wound Healing and Other Biomedical Applications of Novel Gel Formulations
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Wound Healing and Other Biomedical Applications of Novel Gel Formulations

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 3734

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sibusiso Alven

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6001, South Africa
Interests: polymers; nanoparticles; wound dressings; skin regeneration; nanofibers; membranes; hydrogels; essential oils; anticancer drugs; antimalarials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Blessing Atim Aderibigbe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice Campus, Alice 5700, South Africa
Interests: polymer-based materials; wound dressings; drug delivery systems; nanocarriers; drug discovery and design; organic synthesis of drug molecules (antimalarials, antimicrobials, anticancer)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The treatment of chronic wounds remains a global challenge despite the numerous wound dressing products that are commercially available. There are several factors that contribute to the delayed wound healing of chronic wounds, such as malnutrition, microbial infections, obesity, alcohol, diabetes mellitus, etc. Most of the currently used wound dressing products suffer from several limitations, especially poor biological activities. Besides chronic wounds, other diseases and infections that result in life-threatening outcomes in patients include cancer, viral and bacterial infections, diabetes, malaria, etc. The wide variety of drugs that are used to treat these diseases suffer from many shortcomings, i.e., drug resistance, drug toxicity, poor bioavailability and biodegradability, and an exacerbation of side effects. Gels are promising candidates that can act as both wound dressing materials and drug delivery systems to improve the therapeutic outcomes of drugs for the treatment of several diseases. Hydrogels are the most common type of gels that consist of a three-dimensional hydrophilic polymer network with interesting properties, including non-toxicity, high absorption and swelling capacity, responsiveness to external stimuli, and an excellent biodegradable and biocompatible nature. Other examples of novel gel formulations that are commonly used in biomedical applications include cryogels, aerogels, organogels, xerogels, and in situ gels.

We welcome submissions of experimental and theoretical studies that delve into wound dressing and other biomedical applications of gels. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following: wound dressings, targeted drug delivery, tissue engineering, antibacterial activity, anti-inflammatory efficacy, cancer therapy, and antiparasitic activity.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Sibusiso Alven
Prof. Dr. Blessing Atim Aderibigbe
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gels
  • hydrogels
  • cryogels
  • topical gels
  • wound dressing
  • chronic wounds
  • tissue engineering
  • regenerative medicine
  • antimicrobial activity
  • anti-inflammatory
  • antiparasitic efficacy
  • cancer therapy
  • drug resistance
  • drug delivery

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 6095 KiB  
Article
Formulation and Characterization of Teicoplanin Niosomal Gel for Healing Chronic Wounds Infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
by Jaber Hemmati, Iraj Sedighi, Mehdi Azizi, Zahra Chegini, Raha Zare Shahraki, Mohsen Chiani and Mohammad Reza Arabestani
Gels 2025, 11(4), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040230 - 22 Mar 2025
Viewed by 334
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is recognized as a significant pathogen playing a crucial role in causing bacterial infections of skin and soft tissues due to its high capacity for biofilm formation. Niosome-based gel systems offer significant potential for enhancing transdermal drug delivery and [...] Read more.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is recognized as a significant pathogen playing a crucial role in causing bacterial infections of skin and soft tissues due to its high capacity for biofilm formation. Niosome-based gel systems offer significant potential for enhancing transdermal drug delivery and increasing the effectiveness of loaded drugs. The current research investigates the feasibility of niosomal gel for formulating the topical administration of teicoplanin (TEC). The thin film hydration method was used for niosome formulation was composed of nonionic surfactant, cholesterol, and mPEG 2000. TEC niosomal gel was prepared with adding hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and Poloxamer 407 polymers to the system. The physiochemical characteristics of prepared niosomal gel formulation, such as particle morphology, size, zeta surface charge, homogeneity, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release, were evaluated. Also, the in vitro antibacterial potential of the prepared system was analyzed. Further, we examined the in vivo antibacterial activity of the synthesized niosomal gel on infected wounds in Wister rats. We found that the TEC niosomal gel had antibacterial and anti-biofilm capabilities against MRSA isolates, and could be an effective wound material for preventing therapeutic problems related to this superbug. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wound Healing and Other Biomedical Applications of Novel Gel Formulations)
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18 pages, 5264 KiB  
Article
A Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid/ε-Polylysine Hydrogel: Synthesis, Characterization, and Its Role in Accelerated Wound Healing
by Jiaqi Li, Yuanli Huang, Yalu Wang and Qianqian Han
Gels 2025, 11(4), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040226 - 22 Mar 2025
Viewed by 324
Abstract
Wound healing is a complex biological process involving inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases. Effective healing is essential for maintaining skin integrity, driving the need for advanced materials like hydrogels, known for their high water retention and tunable mechanical properties. In this study, we [...] Read more.
Wound healing is a complex biological process involving inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases. Effective healing is essential for maintaining skin integrity, driving the need for advanced materials like hydrogels, known for their high water retention and tunable mechanical properties. In this study, we synthesized a biocompatible composite hydrogel composed of γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) and ε-polylysine (ε-PL) through a Schiff base reaction, forming a stable crosslinked network. Its physicochemical properties, including rheological behavior and swelling capacity, were systematically evaluated. Biocompatibility was assessed via in vitro hemolysis and cytotoxicity assays, and in vivo testing was performed using a full-thickness skin defect model in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats to evaluate wound-healing efficacy. The PGA-PL hydrogel demonstrated excellent physicochemical properties, with a maximum swelling ratio of 65.6%, and biocompatibility as evidenced by low hemolysis rates (<5%) and high cell viability (>80%). It promoted wound healing by inhibiting the inflammatory response, reducing levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, enhancing angiogenesis, and accelerating collagen deposition. The hydrogel showed complete biodegradation within 21 days in vivo without inducing a significant inflammatory response and significantly accelerated wound healing, achieving an 86% healing rate within 7 days compared to 67% in the control group. The PGA-PL composite hydrogel exhibits excellent mechanical strength and biocompatibility, and its effective wound-healing capabilities lay the groundwork for future development and optimization in various tissue engineering applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wound Healing and Other Biomedical Applications of Novel Gel Formulations)
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12 pages, 4351 KiB  
Article
Development of Thermoresponsive Composite Hydrogel Loaded with Indocyanine Green and Camptothecin for Photochemotherapy of Skin Cancer After Surgery
by Yu-Hsiang Lee and Chieh-Lin Chung
Gels 2025, 11(1), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010071 - 16 Jan 2025
Viewed by 810
Abstract
Skin cancer is the world’s fifth most diagnosed malignancy and is increasingly occurring in young adults. The elevated morbidity and mortality of skin cancer are known to be highly correlated with its frequent recurrence after tumor excision. Although regimens such as chemotherapy and/or [...] Read more.
Skin cancer is the world’s fifth most diagnosed malignancy and is increasingly occurring in young adults. The elevated morbidity and mortality of skin cancer are known to be highly correlated with its frequent recurrence after tumor excision. Although regimens such as chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy are often administered following surgical treatments, the patients may suffer from severe side effects, drug resistance, and/or high cost during treatments, indicating that the development of an effective and safe modality for skin cancer after surgery is still highly demanded nowadays. In this study, an injectable and thermoresponsive hyaluronic acid/hexamethylene diisocyanate-Pluronic F127 block copolymer crosslinking composite hydrogel loaded with indocyanine green (ICG) and camptothecin (CPT), called ICHHPG, was developed for photochemotherapy of skin cancer after surgery. ICHHPG can be self-gelationed at 37 °C and stabilizes ICG in the gel matrix. Upon NIR exposure, ICHHPG can generate hyperthermia and consequently provide photothermal therapy when the ICG dosage is >5 μM. Furthermore, ICHHPG may provide a remarkably enhanced cancericidal effect compared to the equal concentration of free ICG (≤10 μM) or CPT (≤1000 μM) alone, and more than 95% of cancer cells can be destroyed as the intra-gel doses of ICG/CPT were elevated to 10/800 μM. Given the confirmed cytotoxicity together with its fluidic and thermoresponsive characteristics which are foreseeably favorable for wound coverage, the developed ICHHPG is highly applicable for use in skin cancer treatment after surgical excision. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wound Healing and Other Biomedical Applications of Novel Gel Formulations)
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17 pages, 4521 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Carboxymethyl Cellulose/Gelatin Hydrogel-Based Dressing Containing Cefdinir for Wound Healing Promotion in Animal Model
by Zahra Soleimani, Hadi Baharifar, Najmeh Najmoddin and Kamyar Khoshnevisan
Gels 2025, 11(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11010038 - 4 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1720
Abstract
The skin serves as a critical barrier against external pathogens, and its wound healing is a complex biological process that requires careful management to ensure optimal tissue regeneration. Hydrogels, a class of hydrophilic polymers, have emerged as promising materials for wound dressings due [...] Read more.
The skin serves as a critical barrier against external pathogens, and its wound healing is a complex biological process that requires careful management to ensure optimal tissue regeneration. Hydrogels, a class of hydrophilic polymers, have emerged as promising materials for wound dressings due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to create a moist wound environment conducive to cell proliferation and migration. In this research, a hydrogel dressing containing cefdinir (Cef) was made from a combination of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gelatin (Gel) by a physical crosslinking method, and their physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties were investigated. Results show that the addition of Cef does not cause a significant change in the morphology or the tensile strength of the wound dressing. The swelling and degradation rate of the hydrogel slightly increased in the presence of Cef. The presence of Cef enhanced antibacterial effects up to 2.5-fold against P. aeruginosa (35 mm), S. aureus (36 mm), and S. pyogenes (35 mm). The results of the cytotoxicity test showed the absence of cytotoxicity in both drug-containing and drug-free wound dressings, as well as a survival rate of over 75% in cells after 48 h. The drug-containing wound dressing accelerates the formation of the epidermis layer and the production of fibroblast cells, and as a result, accelerates the wound healing process. The percentage of wound healing on the ninth day of treatment for an untreated wound was 30%, while this percentage was 40% with a wound dressing without medicine and 60% with a wound dressing containing medicine, and on the fifteenth day of treatment, the wound treated with both wound dressings had more than 85% healing. As a result, it is possible to use CMC/Gel hydrogel polymeric wound dressing containing Cef as a wound dressing for wound healing, according to the desired physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wound Healing and Other Biomedical Applications of Novel Gel Formulations)
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