Comparative Macroscopic and Histological Evaluation of Plant Extract- Loaded Chitosan Hydrogel for Cutaneous Wound Healing in a Rodent Model

Repairing the skin architecture after full-thickness injury is still challenging as healing often results in fibrous scar formation instead of complete tissue regeneration. This preliminary animal study compared chitosan hydrogels loaded with Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Calendula officinalis or Aloe Vera in a cutaneous wound model. Wound size was evaluated macroscopically on days 3 and 6 and tissue specimens were examined histologically. All the plant extract-loaded chitosan formulations exhibited wound reduction greater than the untreated control. The Aloe Vera-chitosan group showed the highest macroscopic wound closure at day 6, while histological results differed between formulations in terms of re-epithelialization, collagen arrangement, inflammatory changes, and skin appendages. These findings suggest that chitosan hydrogels loaded with plant extracts may promote wound contraction and tissue remodeling. However, small sample size, lack of a chitosan-only control group, and lack of molecular and functional measurements, preclude confirmation of synergistic effects or true functional regeneration. Further studies need larger groups, quantitative histological scoring, biomaterial characterization and molecular markers.