Wound infections are one of the major reasons for the delay in the healing of chronic wounds and can be overcome by developing effective wound dressings capable of absorbing exudate, providing local antibiotic release, and improving patient comfort. Arabinoxylan (AX) is a major hemicellulose present in psyllium seed husk (PSH) and exhibits promising characteristics for developing film dressings. Herein, AX-gelatin (GL) films were prepared by blending AX, gelatin (GL), glycerol, and gentamicin (antibiotic). Initially, the optimal quantities of AX, GL, and glycerol for preparing transparent, bubble-free, smooth, and foldable AX-GL films were found. Physiochemical, thermal, morphological, drug release, and antibacterial characteristics of the AX-GL films were evaluated to investigate their suitability as wound dressings. The findings suggested that the mechanical, water vapor transmission, morphological, and expansion characteristics of the optimized AX-GL films were within the required range for wound dressing. The results of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analyses suggested chemical compatibility among the ingredients of the films. In in vitro drug release and antibacterial activity experiments, gentamicin (GM)-loaded AX-GL films released approximately 89% of the GM in 24 h and exhibited better antibacterial activity than standard GM solution. These results suggest that AX-GL films could serve as a promising dressing to protect against wound infections.
Keywords: antibacterial dressing; arabinoxylan; drug delivery; polymeric films; wound healing.