Wound management practices have made significant advancements, yet the search for improved antiseptics persists. In our pursuit of solutions that not only prevent infections but also address broader aspects of wound care, we investigated the impact of integrating trimethyl chitosan (TMC) into a widely used poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-iodine gel (PVP-I gel). Our study assessed the antimicrobial efficacy of the PVP gel with TMC against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, multidrug-resistant S. aureus MRSA, and Candida albicans. Additionally, we compared hemostatic effects using a liver puncture bleeding model and evaluated wound healing through histological sections from full-thickness dermal wounds in rats. The results indicate that incorporating TMC into the commercially available PVP-I gel did not compromise its antimicrobial activity. The incorporation of TMC into the PVP-I gel markedly improves its hemostatic activity. The regular application of the PVP-I gel with TMC resulted in an increased blood vessel count in the wound bed and facilitated the development of thicker fibrous tissue with a regenerated epidermal layer. These findings suggest that TMC contributes not only to antimicrobial activity but also to the intricate processes of tissue regeneration. In conclusion, incorporating TMC proves beneficial, making it a valuable additive to commercially available antiseptic agents.
Keywords: antiseptic; hemostatic; trimethyl chitosan; wound healing.