PROGRESS OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHITOSAN FORMULATIONS WITH INSULIN TO PROMOTE SKIN WOUND HEALING

The treatment of difficult-to-heal wounds is a major problem in modern medicine. The search for new materials and ways to treat wounds is important and timely. Insulin stimulates proliferation, differentiation and migration of skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Chitosan has beneficial biological properties and can be an effective carrier of insulin. This review discusses research into the development of chitosan formulations with insulin to aid local treatment of chronic wounds. The PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched for studies on chitosan preparations with insulin in terms of their efficacy in wound healing. Twelve original English-language articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals were included in the analysis. Insulin preparations in a chitosan matrix in the form of gel, hydrogel, injection and non-woven dressing are highly effective at all stages of the wound-healing process. They show anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Insulin from the formulations is released in a prolonged or controlled manner. However, it seems necessary to learn more about the mechanisms of insulin action within lesions. Of note, the data are mainly from basic and preclinical studies. Only one clinical study has been conducted.