Skin burns are complex injuries caused by physical and/or chemical trauma. First-degree burns involve only the epidermis and typically a fast healing process with no scar formation. Meanwhile, second-degree burns are further classified into superficial partial-thickness or deep partial-thickness depending on the level of dermal damage. Taking this into account, there is a necessity to improve the rapid retrieval of these superficial wounds to avoid dehydration and infections. Since antiquity, it is well known about the empirical use in dermatology of natural compounds derived from plants. Some common examples include the extracts of Calendula officinalis L., Aloe vera and Cannabis sativa among several others. Calendula officinalis L. is a garden plant used for medicinal purposes, which has been identified as having potential benefits for wound care and the presence of many beneficial secondary metabolites such as Carotenoids, Terpenoids, Flavonoids, Coumarins and Quinones with pharmacological properties. Therefore, this work is focused on the design of an oil in water (O/W) emulsion, at a ratio of 20:80% w/w, supplemented with a surfactant at a ratio of 90:10%, a Calendula officinalis L. extract with a concentration of 1% w/w and Carbopol as a thickener. The emulsions obtained were characterized rheologically by an oscillatory experiment and biologically evaluated in terms of hemolysis and platelet aggregation. The results indicate superior stability of the emulsions over time (0.9) and a pseudoplastic and semisolid fluid behavior. Furthermore, they are not hemolytic (below 14.53%) and induced platelet aggregation (33.66%), which can contribute to enhancing the healing process. We are currently characterizing the emulsions physicochemically by frequency curve, flow curves of shear stress and viscosity and droplet size distribution, and conducting 2D wound healing assays in a scratch model over a monolayer of keratinocytes. Thus far, the results hold much promise for employing these emulsions on superficial treatments of burn wounds.

Development and preliminary characterization of an emulsion of Calendula officinalis L. with potential application in the treatment of skin burn wounds

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