Accelerating Diabetic Wound Healing by Modulating the Inflammatory Environment Using Quercetin–Rosemary Oil Lipid Nanoemulsions with Artificial Intelligence-Based Wound Closure Analysis

Abstract

Diabetic wounds are a significant complication of diabetes that is characterized by delayed wound healing and a high risk of amputation. The overexpression of pro-inflammatory macrophages (M1) and matrix metallo protease-9 (MMP-9) plays a crucial role in the extended inflammatory phase, which is characteristic of these wounds. This study develops multifunctional lipid nanoemulsions known as Quercetin and Rosemary Oil Lipid Nanoemulsions (Q-RLNEs) that can effectively convert M1 to M2 macrophages, inhibit MMP-9 and prevent microbial infections, thereby expediting the healing of diabetic wounds. Q-RLNEs exhibit excellent biocompatibility, cellular uptake, ROS scavenging, macrophage polarization, MMP-9 inhibition, and potent antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus in vitro. In vivo experiments further reveal Q-RLNE's ability to accelerate complete wound healing in diabetic-induced rats by reducing inflammation, promoting angiogenesis, and facilitating proper collagen deposition and dermal projection regeneration. This study introduces the application of the Segment Anything Model (SAM). SAM combines attention-fusion and hybrid fusion strategies for accurate segmentation, enabling comprehensive analysis of wound attributes over time and guiding treatment decisions. The SAM analysis results also align with Q-RLNE in vitro and in vivo. The findings of this study suggest that Q-RLNE is a promising new therapeutic agent for accelerating diabetic wound healing.