Natural Compound–Loaded PLGA Nanocarriers for Infected Wound Management: A Review

Elahe Norouzi,1 Jaber Hemmati,2 Mohammad Chehelgerdi,3 Mohammad Reza Arabestani1 1Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; 2Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran; 3Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, IranCorrespondence: Mohammad Chehelgerdi, Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran, Email [email protected] Mohammad Reza Arabestani, Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR, Iran, Tel +98-8118380755, Fax +98-8118380130, Email [email protected]: Infected wounds remain a significant clinical challenge due to persistent microbial colonization, biofilm formation, delayed tissue regeneration, and prolonged healing processes. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer approved by the FDA, has gained increasing attention as a carrier for natural compounds because of its ability to provide controlled and sustained drug release, improve compound stability, and enhance therapeutic efficacy. This review summarizes recent advances in PLGA-based formulations loaded with natural compounds for the treatment of infected wounds. Findings from various studies demonstrate that these nanostructures promote wound healing through antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, stimulation of angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and re-epithelialization. In addition, this review discusses different aspects of PLGA-based nanostructures, including fabrication and synthesis strategies, drug release behaviors, and bacterial biofilm-targeting mechanisms, which may play an important role in the development of novel nanoparticle-based therapeutic approaches for overcoming current challenges associated with infected wound management. Overall, the delivery of natural compounds through PLGA-based systems represents a promising strategy for the effective treatment of infected wounds and the advancement of next-generation wound care therapies. This review, with a focus on PLGA–natural compound systems for the treatment of infected wounds, provides a coherent synthesis of dispersed studies and, by emphasizing antibiofilm mechanisms and controlled drug release, offers an integrated perspective for a better understanding of the therapeutic potential of these nanoplatforms.Keywords: PLGA, natural compounds, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound