Collagen-Chitosan Composites Enhanced with Hydroxytyrosol for Prospective Wound Healing Uses

In recent years, many studies have pointed out the excellent properties of materials composed of collagen and chitosan for wound-healing applications. Combining both polymers in a wound dressing together with a bioactive compound could complement and potentiate these materials as new-generation wound-healing products. Hydroxytyrosol (HT), an antioxidant from olive oil, may contribute to wound healing due to its already reported anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and angiogenesis-stimulating properties. It could be a beneficial addition to collagen-chitosan dressings, improving their therapeutic effects. This study screens the potential of collagen-chitosan composites with HT for wound-healing applications and assesses the influence of the compound's incorporation on the materials' properties. The material production involved incorporating chitosan and HT into a marine collagen extract. The resulting collagen-chitosan-HT material was obtained by freeze-drying. Prototype dressing characterization included morphology by scanning electron microscopy, solid and hydrated state by textural and rheologic studies, and in vitro HT release studies. The materials’ cytocompatibility screening was assessed using a mouse fibroblast cell line, and the antibacterial activity was evaluated against microorganisms commonly implicated in wound infections. Results indicate that chitosan contributed to the material's mechanical robustness by maintaining a high viscosity and preserving the material gel structure. The in vitro release studies suggest an HT-controlled release profile with a maximum release (70%) achieved after 10 h. Biological experiments proved the materials' cytocompatibility with skin cells and very promising antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, HT was successfully incorporated into a collagen-chitosan matrix, enhancing the therapeutic prospect of the resultant material. The collagen-chitosan-HT composite presents a promising potential as an advanced wound-healing material.