Cerium oxide nanoparticle-containing poly (ε-caprolactone)/gelatin electrospun film as a potential wound dressing material: In vitro and in vivo evaluation

- Production of a cerium oxide nanoparticles-containing PCL/gelatin wound dressing.
- Evaluation of the produced wound dressing.
- Achieving an almost complete wound closure by treating the rat's full-thickness excisional wounds with the produced wound dressing for two weeks.

In the present study, cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles were incorporated into poly (ε-caprolactone)/gelatin films in order to develop a potential wound dressing material. The wound dressings were prepared by electrospinning of poly (ε-caprolactone)/gelatin (1:1 (w/w)) solutions containing 1.50%, 3% and 6% (w/w) CeO2 nanoparticles. The electrospun films were evaluated regarding their morphology, contact angle, water-uptake capacity, water vapor transmission rate, tensile strength and cellular response. The film containing 1.50% CeO2 nanoparticles was chosen as the optimal dressing for the in vivo study on full-thickness excisional wounds of rats. The study showed that after 2 weeks, the wounds treated with the CeO2 nanoparticle-containing dressing achieved a significant closure to nearly 100% compared with the sterile gauze with the nearly 63% of wound closure. Our results provided evidence supporting the possible applicability of CeO2 nanoparticle-containing wound dressing for a successful wound treatment.