Recent developments in niosomal drug delivery for effective wound healing

Abstract

Chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, and venous leg ulcers, affect millions of patients worldwide and impose an enormous healthcare burden, yet conventional therapies frequently fail to overcome the interrelated challenges of persistent infection, chronic inflammation, and impaired tissue regeneration. Niosomes, self-assembled vesicular nanocarriers composed of non-ionic surfactants and cholesterol, have emerged as a versatile and cost-effective platform for wound-targeted drug delivery. This review synthesizes current evidence on niosomal structure and formulation strategies, mechanism of dermal drug delivery, and therapeutic applications spanning antibiotics (moxifloxacin, cefazolin, teicoplanin), antioxidants (methylene blue, curcumin, vitamin A), herbal extracts (Hypericum perforatum, thymol, aloe vera), and growth factors. Compared with liposomes, niosomes offer superior physicochemical stability, lower manufacturing cost, and equivalent or greater encapsulation efficiency for both hydrophilic and lipophilic payloads. Preclinical models consistently report accelerated wound closure (15–35% improvement over conventional treatments), enhanced collagen deposition, reduced oxidative stress markers, and anti-biofilm efficacy. Available clinical data, though limited, support faster oral wound closure and improved patient-reported outcomes with niosomal anthocyanin complex gel. Critical translational barriers include formulation instability, absence of standardized manufacturing protocols, limited clinical trial data, and incomplete regulatory guidance for nanomedicines. Future priorities include stimuli-responsive 'smart' niosomes, surface-functionalized targeted systems, integration with biomaterial scaffolds, and large-scale randomized controlled trials.

Keywords: Nanomedicine, Diabetic wound healing, Transdermal drug delivery, Tissue regeneration, Antimicrobial therapy, Controlled drug release