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Non-Hydrolyzed vs Hydrolyzed Collagen in Wound Healing
Collagen plays a critical role in wound healing by supporting tissue regeneration, cellular migration, and extracellular matrix stability. Understanding the differences between non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed collagen is essential for selecting effective wound care products, as molecular structure and bioactivity directly influence healing outcomes in acute and chronic wounds.
Collagen Technology and Wound Healing
Collagen technology dressings are engineered to inhibit protease activity while transitioning the wound into a healing state. These advanced wound care dressings act as catalysts in preventing wound chronicity, facilitating tissue growth, autolysis, angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and wound re-epithelialization.
Sources of Collagen
Collagen can be derived from various species such as bovine, porcine, equine, piscean, and avian tissues. Its matrix structure is a template for future tissue formation, continually attracting fibroblasts to the wound site. During the maturation stage of healing, collagen is believed to enhance the deposition of oriented collagen fibers, bolstering the tensile strength of new tissue. While technology continues to advance in new methods of collagen production, bovine sources are the most closely recognized and utilized during our human wound-healing process.
Non-Hydrolyzed vs. Hydrolyzed Collagen
Non-hydrolyzed means the collagen maintains its original form. This is the highest, purest, most natural state of collagen, with the highest percentage of its native triple helix protein structure. This preservation provides greater molecular and scaffold stability for the body to absorb during wound healing.
Non-hydrolyzed collagen particles or powders may enhance scaffolding and cell migration during granulation tissue formation. Human BioSciences’ proprietary process protects and retains significantly more native triple helical protein structure in all of their premiere collagen wound care products.
Hydrolyzed collagen is fragmented in nature and cannot form scaffolds independently. These peptides must be combined with copolymers like cellulose and chitosan. Copolymers are typically formed from non-bioavailable “dead proteins” that have undergone an aggressive chemical process and hydrolysis.
Hydrolyzed collagen loses its triple-helical shape when it is broken down into amino acids like glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. Due to the process of breaking down the molecules, hydrolyzed collagen is often found in supplement form as it is more easily digested and absorbed.
Advancing Wound Healing with Collagen Dressings
Although collagen dressings vary, the overarching goal remains to accelerate wound healing. The wound healing process follows a cascading and overlapping series of phases, including hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Collagen dressings aid in maintaining an optimal moist environment throughout the entire process, promoting the deposition of new collagen fibers and supporting tissue regeneration.
A solid wound care program should address the root cause, wound bed preparation, moist wound healing, offloading/redistribution, and education. Collagen dressings have shown promise in advancing and preventing chronic complex wounds beyond traditional care. Healthcare providers should have access to top-quality, advanced products like non-hydrolyzed collagen wound care dressings when determining a care plan for their patients.
Chronic slow or non-healing wounds plague our communities, affecting upwards of 2.5% of the population. This leads to more strain on our healthcare system and declining independence for an individual managing a chronic wound issue. Many people continue to be treated with outdated traditional wound care methods. Utilizing advanced wound care products like Human BioSciences collagen wound sheets, powders, and gels could facilitate improved outcomes for many.
Resources
Mathew-Steiner SS, Roy S, Sen CK. Collagen in Wound Healing. Bioengineering (Basel). 2021;8(5):63. Published 2021 May11.
doi:10.3390/bioengineering8050063
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8151502/
Chattopadhyay S, Raines RT. Review collagen-based biomaterials for wound healing. Biopolymers. 2014;101(8):821-833. doi:10.1002/bip.22486
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4203321/
For supplies and purchasing https://humanbiosciences.com/contactus/
About Human BioSciences
Human Biosciences, Inc. is a global biotechnology company specializing in collagen-based products for wound care management. Dr. Manoj Jain founded HBS in 1990 with Kollagen™ technology, pioneering advanced wound care with native non-hydrolyzed Type -1 bovine collagen in its purest form with three delivery modes with Collatek® Collagen Gel, SkinTemp® II Collagen Sheets and Medifil® II Collagen Particles. HBS continues engineering breakthroughs daily with innovative new product development, manufacturing advancements, and global product distribution with facilities in the USA and India.
For more information, visit: www.humanbiosciences.com
For media queries, please contact: please contact info@humanbiosciences.com
FAQ
Non-hydrolyzed collagen retains its triple-helix structure and provides scaffold support, while hydrolyzed collagen is fragmented and lacks structural stability.
Its intact molecular structure supports cell migration, tissue scaffolding, and extracellular matrix stability.
Hydrolyzed collagen is better suited for nutritional supplementation rather than direct wound healing applications.
Type I bovine collagen closely resembles human collagen and is widely used in wound care.
Yes, collagen dressings help regulate protease activity and support healing in chronic and hard-to-heal wounds.
