Design and development of polymeric liquid dressing containing quercetin for accelerated wound healing in effective management of pressure ulcers

Purpose This study aimed to develop and optimize a quercetin-loaded film-forming spray as a liquid wound dressing to overcome the limitations of conventional pressure ulcer therapies, particularly poor skin penetration and insufficient drug retention. The formulation was designed to enhance localized quercetin delivery, improve residence time at the wound site, and promote accelerated wound healing while ensuring skin compatibility. Methods The film-forming spray was formulated and optimized using a Taguchi orthogonal array design. The optimized formulation comprised Eudragit RSPO (1%), propylene glycol (1%), and an ethanol:acetone solvent system (7:3). Comprehensive evaluation of the formulation included physicochemical characterization, ex vivo permeation studies using rat skin, skin irritation assessment, and in vivo therapeutic evaluation in a pressure ulcer model. Wound-healing efficacy was assessed through measurement of wound closure, tensile strength, hydroxyproline content, and detailed histopathological analysis. Results The optimized formulation demonstrated ideal film-forming properties with 98 ± 0.45 s drying time and excellent spray characteristics. It showed 3.89-fold higher permeation and 16-fold greater skin deposition compared to pure quercetin. The formulation was non-irritating and showed accelerated wound healing to 20 days versus 24 days for standard marketed formulation. Treated wounds exhibited significantly higher tensile strength (46,479 ± 3.8 N/m 2 ) and hydroxyproline content (0.4752 mg), confirming enhanced collagen deposition and tissue regeneration. Conclusion The developed quercetin-loaded film-forming spray represents a promising approach in topical wound therapy, demonstrating superior drug delivery, accelerated healing, and enhanced tissue quality, making it a promising therapeutic alternative for pressure ulcer management.