Approach on chitosan/virgin coconut oil-based emulsion matrices as a platform to design superabsorbent materials

Simone S Silva; Luísa C Rodrigues; Emanuel M Fernandes; Joana M Gomes; Ângela Vilas-Boas; Rogério P Pirraco; Rui L Reis

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116839

Approach on chitosan/virgin coconut oil-based emulsion matrices as a platform to design superabsorbent materials

Carbohydr Polym. 2020 Dec 1:249:116839. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116839. Epub 2020 Aug 4.

Authors

Simone S Silva¹, Luísa C Rodrigues², Emanuel M Fernandes², Joana M Gomes², Ângela Vilas-Boas², Rogério P Pirraco², Rui L Reis³

Affiliations

¹ 3B´s Research Group, I3Bs- Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco GMR, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal. Electronic address: simonesilva@i3bs.uminho.pt.
² 3B´s Research Group, I3Bs- Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco GMR, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
³ 3B´s Research Group, I3Bs- Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017, Barco GMR, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal; The Discoveries Centre for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Headquarters at University of Minho, AvePark, 4805-017, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.

PMID: 32933683
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116839

Abstract

The design of innovative pharmaceutical products, able to reach unexplored market niches, requires natural materials use with improved swelling and moisture properties. Herein, chitosan (CHT), a natural polymer, was combined with virgin coconut oil (VCO), a resource extracted from coconut kernels, to develop emulsion-based films for biomedical purposes. The film's properties were tuned by changing VCO concentrations, and the structural, morphological, and physical properties of the films were evaluated. The CHT/VCO-based film morphology showed the presence of VCO droplets at different sizes, both in the surface and inner part. Moreover, the capability to develop CHT/VCO-films as superabsorbent materials was shown. The film extracts cytotoxicity was assessed using human adipose stem cells, and metabolic activity was confirmed. The findings suggest that incorporating a small volume of VCO into the CHT system, superabsorbent materials with the potential to be applied in biomedical devices that require high swelling properties, can be developed.

Keywords: Biomaterials; Chitosan; Emulsion film; Natural polymers; Skin diseases; Virgin coconut oil.