Verbascoside‐Loaded Ultrathin Nanofibrous Scaffold to Induce Spatiotemporal Rapid Closure of Diabetic Wounds

Verbascoside (Vb), a potent phenylethanoid glycoside, has been widely studied for its wound‐healing properties. However, the macromolecular size of Vb poses a challenge for its topical delivery. Drawing inspiration from the ‘lotus effect’ to protect wounds from mechanical abrasion, this study nanosized the compound within a polycaprolactone‐based nanofiber mat (NFM). Using a quality‐by‐design approach, parameters such as flow rate (0.1 mL/h), voltage (26 kV), and tip‐to‐collector distance (17 cm) were optimized, reducing the nanofiber diameter to 191.3 ± 3.79 nm. The optimized Vb‐loaded NFM (VNFM) exhibited a contact angle of 116.4° ± 3.69° and a thickness of 0.06 ± 0.014 mm, which, although hydrophobic, also showed high fluid absorbency. The VNFM displayed a potent, efficient drug‐release profile and exhibited potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, with RAW 264.7 cell viability >90%. Treatment of the diabetic wound‐induced C57BL/6 mice with VNFM showed a wound closure of 96.8% ± 1.67% on day 13, which was significantly ( p < 0.05) faster than the standard drug (87.04% ± 2.27%). The hallmark of this formulation was potent ex vivo antioxidant effects, tissue remodeling capacity, and modulation of inflammatory cytokines, which induced rapid wound repair during diabetes.