Advanced SA/PVA-based hydrogel matrices with prolonged release of Aloe vera as promising wound dressings

Katarzyna Bialik-Wąs; Klaudia Pluta; Dagmara Malina; Mateusz Barczewski; Katarzyna Malarz; Anna Mrozek-Wilczkiewicz

doi:10.1016/j.msec.2020.111667

Advanced SA/PVA-based hydrogel matrices with prolonged release of Aloe vera as promising wound dressings

Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2021 Jan:120:111667. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111667. Epub 2020 Oct 22.

Authors

Katarzyna Bialik-Wąs¹, Klaudia Pluta², Dagmara Malina², Mateusz Barczewski³, Katarzyna Malarz⁴, Anna Mrozek-Wilczkiewicz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska St., 31-155 Cracow, Poland. Electronic address: katarzyna.bialik-was@pk.edu.pl.
² Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska St., 31-155 Cracow, Poland.
³ Institute of Materials Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Management, Poznan University of Technology, 24 Jana Pawła II St., 60-965 Poznan, Poland.
⁴ A. Chelkowski Institute of Physics, Silesian Center for Education and Interdisciplinary Research, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1, 41-500 Chorzow, Poland.

PMID: 33545832
DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.111667

Abstract

This work focuses on the influence of different amounts (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%, v/v) of solution of Aloe vera on the chemical structure and properties of sodium alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel films. The polymeric matrix was prepared following the chemical cross-linking method using poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA, Mn = 700 g/mol) as a cross-linking agent. First, the gel fractions of the modified hydrogels were determined and their swelling behavior in distilled water and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was tested. Subsequently, the following properties of the modified hydrogel materials were studied: structural (FT-IR spectra analysis), morphological (SEM analysis) and mechanical (tensile strength, elongation at break and hardness). Moreover, a thermal analysis (TG/DTG and DSC) confirmed that the SA/PVA hydrogels containing Aloe vera exhibited slightly higher thermal stability than the unmodified hydrogels, which allows concluding that a rigid and thermally stable three-dimensional structure had been obtained. Additionally, the release profile of polysaccharides from the hydrogel matrix was evaluated in PBS at 37 °C. The results show that the active substance was released in a prolonged manner, gradually, even for a week. It was found that the presence of Aloe vera inside the cross-linked polymeric network improved the active substance delivery properties of the hydrogel films. When greater amounts of Aloe vera were applied, the hydrogel had an irregular surface structure, as revealed by SEM images. The chemical structure was confirmed on the basis of an FT-IR spectral analysis. Concluding, SA/PVA/Aloe vera matrices are promising compounds and deserve further studies towards application in interactive wound dressings. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of the materials was studied and the results indicated good adhesion properties and no toxicity. In vitro experiments performed on normal human dermal fibroblasts proved excellent cell attachment on the Aloe vera hydrogel discs, which promoted cells spreading and proliferation.

Keywords: Aloe vera; Hydrogels; Sodium alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix; Wound dressings.

MeSH terms

Alginates
Aloe*
Bandages
Humans
Hydrogels*
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

Substances

Alginates
Hydrogels
Polyvinyl Alcohol