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Review
. 2022 Sep 9;14(18):3772.
doi: 10.3390/polym14183772.

Polymer-Based Hydrogels Enriched with Essential Oils: A Promising Approach for the Treatment of Infected Wounds

Sibusiso Alven  1 , Sijongesonke Peter  1 , Blessing Atim Aderibigbe  1
Affiliations
Review

Polymer-Based Hydrogels Enriched with Essential Oils: A Promising Approach for the Treatment of Infected Wounds

Sibusiso Alven et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Among the factors that delay the wound healing process in chronic wounds, bacterial infections are a common cause of acute wounds becoming chronic. Various therapeutic agents, such as antibiotics, metallic nanoparticles, and essential oils have been employed to treat infected wounds and also prevent the wounds from bacterial invasion. Essential oils are promising therapeutic agents with excellent wound healing, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities, and good soothing effects. Some essential oils become chemically unstable when exposed to light, heat, oxygen, and moisture. The stability and biological activity of essential oil can be preserved via loading into hydrogels. The polymer-based hydrogels loaded with bioactive agents are regarded as ideal wound dressings with unique features, such as controlled and sustained drug release mechanisms, good antibacterial activity, non-toxicity, excellent cytocompatibility, good porosity, moderate water vapour transmission rate, etc. This review addresses the pre-clinical outcomes of hydrogels loaded with essential oils in the treatment of infected wounds.

Keywords: essential oils; hydrogels; infected wounds; lavender oil; polymers; tea tree oil; wound dressing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biomedical properties of essential oils.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sequential phases of the wound healing process.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Molecular structures of some natural polymers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Molecular structures of some synthetic polymers.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Plain and hydrogel loaded with bioactive agents.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Lavender plant [61].
Figure 7
Figure 7
Thymus vulgaris [74].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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