Aloe vera Gel-Loaded Alginate Hydrogel Beads for Controlled Wound Healing: A Comprehensive Review of Formulation, Ionic Gelation and In-Vitro Evaluation

Chronic and infected wounds remain a major clinical and economic burden, and conventional topical formulations such as creams, ointments and gels often fail to provide sustained therapeutic action because of poor retention, uncontrolled release and short residence time at the wound site. Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) is among the most extensively studied medicinal plants for wound healing, owing to the acemannan-rich polysaccharide fraction of its inner-leaf gel, which stimulates fibroblast proliferation, collagen synthesis, angiogenesis and epithelialisation while also exerting antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Direct application of the raw gel is nevertheless limited by physicochemical instability, rapid degradation of bioactives, microbial contamination and brief contact time. This review examines the rational encapsulation of Aloe vera gel within sodium alginate hydrogel beads prepared by ionic (ionotropic) gelation, in which divalent calcium ions cross-link alginate guluronate blocks through the well-known “egg-box” mechanism to form a biocompatible, biodegradable, moisture-retaining matrix. The pathophysiology of wound healing, the role of medicinal plants, the phytochemistry and pharmacology of Aloe vera, the properties of alginate and the principles of ionic gelation are reviewed in turn, followed by the complete battery of physicochemical and biopharmaceutical evaluation parameters—percentage yield, particle size, swelling index, entrapment efficiency, surface morphology, in-vitro release and kinetics, DPPH antioxidant activity and antimicrobial testing against common wound pathogens. Illustrative analytical data and current market trends are presented graphically. Encapsulation is shown to enhance stability, convert burst release into sustained release and preserve antioxidant and antimicrobial efficacy, establishing Aloe vera-loaded alginate hydrogel beads as a scientifically validated, herbal-based platform for wound care.