effect of apigenin nanoemulgel on inflammatory phase acceleration in burn wound healing: in silico and in vivo studies

Background: burns are destructive wounds that trigger inflammation, neuropathic pain, and the risk of infection. the nuclear factor kappa b (nf-κb) signalling pathway plays an important role in regulating inflammation and tissue regeneration. apigenin, the main flavonoid in celery (apium graveolens), has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and angiogenic effects, but its bioavailability is low due to its lipophilic nature. objectives: we analyzed the effects of apigenin-loaded nanoemulgel (na) administration in modulating inflammation and accelerating burn wound healing in silico and in vivo.methods: in silico analysis was conducted using molecular docking against nf-κb, mmp-1, and cox-2. in vivo testing involved 12 rats, each with three burns (±100 °c, 5 seconds), divided into three treatment groups: apigenin-loaded na, positive control (bioplacenton®), and negative control (placebo). macroscopic and histopathological evaluations were conducted on days 3, 7, 14, and 21. histopathological parameters included re-epithelialization, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, and collagen density.results: in vivo administration of apigenin-loaded na accelerated the closure of macroscopic wounds, reduced the number of neutrophils, and significantly increased collagen density (p<0.05). there were no significant differences in lymphocyte counts and increased re-epithelialization, as determined by statistical testing. in silico validation of apigenin showed stronger binding affinity to mmp-1 and cox-2 than to native ligands, while a lower affinity was observed for nf-κb.  conclusion: apigenin-loaded na is an effective topical agent in accelerating the initial inflammatory phase and promoting wound healing in burn injuries.