Modulating Polyphenol Activity with Metal Ions: Insights into Dermatological Applications

Background: The skin represents the first barrier of defence, and its integrity is crucial for overall health. Skin wounds present a considerable risk seeing how their progression is rapid and sometimes they are caused by comorbidities like diabetes and venous diseases. Nutraceutical combinations like the ones between polyphenols and metal ions present considerable applications thanks to their increased bioavailability and their ability to modulate intrinsic molecular pathways.; Methods: The research findings presented in this paper are based on a systematic review of current literature with an emphasis on nanotechnology and regenerative medicine strategies that incorporate polyphenols and metallic nanoparticles (NPs). The key studies which described the action mechanisms, efficacy and safety of these hybrid formulations were reviewed. Results: The polyphenol-metal complexes like curcumin conjugated with silver NPs and resveratrol with copper NPs showed improved antibacterial activity, fibroblast proliferation and collagen formation. The formulations proved effective in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, which are key impediments to wound healing. Conclusions: The use of polyphenol-metal hybrids has the potential of being the new advancement in managing chronic wounds through the enhancement of the healing processes and anti-infective properties. Further research is needed to determine the effects of these agents and how they work and to prove their efficacy in large scale randomised controlled trials. It will be crucial to gain deeper insights into the stability as well as the delivery of these new approaches in order to integrate them into the clinical practice.