فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

The main objective of this research is to improve topical drug delivery using nanohydrogels. Keratin is the main protein found in hair, nails, and bird feathers. Due to its inherent properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical strength, and natural abundance, keratin-containing materials are considered a rich protein source. Tragacanth gum also exhibits wound healing and antibacterial properties, making it useful in medical applications. In this study, keratin was extracted from chicken feathers via reductive hydrolysis. Subsequently, nanohydrogel particles were synthesized using chemical crosslinking of natural keratin and tragacanth. Propolis extract, a herbal antimicrobial agent, was then added to the hydrogel to evaluate its release rate. SEM analysis of the optimized keratin/tragacanth nanoparticles revealed a near-spherical morphology with an average diameter of 191 ± 15 nm. After incorporation of propolis extract, the average size of particles increased to 297 ± 20 nm, resulting in a more uniform nanogel. Drug release test showed that incorporating 10% (w/w) propolis into the nanogel led to 50% release over 72 hours. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of propolis-loaded nanogels was reported to reach up to 98%, indicating their potential in wound healing applications.