Alginate beads containing the polar
lipid monoolein were developed as a strategy to manage wet
wounds by providing improved uptake of excess exudate while releasing
adenosine locally for promotion of healing. To obtain
monoolein-containing beads, the
lipid was mixed with
almond oil (2:1w/w), and emulsified within the
alginate aqueous dispersion, followed by ionotropic gelation in CaCl2
solution. Compared to
alginate-only,
monoolein-
alginate systems were 1.44-fold larger, their swelling ability was 1.40-fold higher and
adenosine cumulative release was approximately 1.30-fold lower (at 24h).
Monoolein-
alginate beads were considered safe for topical application as demonstrated by the absence of changes on the viability of reconstructed skin equivalents compared to PBS. Smaller amounts of
adenosine were delivered by the beads into and across damaged porcine skin (created by an incisional
wound) compared to the
drug aqueous
solution, and cutaneous localization was favored. More specifically, the beads increased the viable skin layer/receptor phase delivery ratio by approximately 4-fold at 12h post-application. Considering the wide range of
adenosine physiological effects and the importance of skin localization for its use in wound healing, these results demonstrate the potential of
monoolein-containing beads for localized
drug delivery and management of wet
wounds.