Minocycline-loaded cellulose nano whiskers/poly(sodium acrylate) composite hydrogel films as wound dressing

Design and evaluation of sodium alginate-based hydrogel dressings containing Betula utilis extract for cutaneous wound healing

Traditional wound dressings have a limited capacity to absorb exudates, are permeable to microbes, and may adhere to wounds, which leads to secondary injuries. Hydrogels are promising alternative dressings to overcome the above challenges. In this study, we developed sodium alginate-based hydrogel films loaded with Betula utilis bark extract. These films were prepared via solvent-casting crosslinking method and evaluated for wound healing activity. Prepared films were 0.05-0.083 mm thick, flexible with folding endurance ranging from 197-203 folds, which indicates good physical properties. Optimized formulations exhibited successful loading of extract in the film matrix without any interaction as confirmed by FTIR. Maximum zone of inhibition against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was achieved by optimum formulation (B6), i.e., 19 mm and 9 mm, respectively, with > 90% scavenging activity. Furthermore, this optimum formulation (B6) was able to achieve 93% wound contraction in rats. Histograms of the optimized formulation treated group also revealed complete reepithelization of wounds. Conclusively, our extract-loaded hydrogel dressing successfully demonstrated its potential for cutaneous wound healing.

Fabrication of Curcumin-Loaded Silk Fibroin and Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Hydrogel Films for Skin Wound Healing

Skin regeneration of full-thickness wounds remains a challenge, requiring a well-regulated interplay of cell-cell and cell-matrix signaling. Herein, the composite hydrogel films composed of silk fibroin (SF) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as scaffolds loaded with curcumin nanoparticles (Cur NPs) were developed for skin wound healing. The structure and physicochemical properties of hydrogel films were first evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle, and chemical and mechanical measurements. In addition, the as-fabricated composite hydrogel films have a unique 3D structure and excellent biocompatibility that facilitates the adhesion and growth of cells. Antimicrobial tests in vitro showed that they could inhibit the growth of bacteria due to the incorporation of Cur NPs into composite hydrogel films. The efficacy of the curcumin-loaded SF/PVA composite hydrogel films for skin wound healing was investigated on the skin defect model in vivo. Immunological analysis showed that the as-fabricated Cur NP-loaded SF/PVA composite hydrogel films inhibited inflammation at the wound sites, while promoting angiogenesis during the wound healing process.

Corncob Cellulose Scaffolds: A New Sustainable Temporary Implant for Cartilage Replacement

Tissue engineering using scaffolds is a promising strategy to repair damaged articular cartilage, whose self-repair is inefficient. Cellulose properties have been recognized for their application in the biomedical field. The aim of this study was to fabricate and characterize novel scaffolds based on poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) and sustainable cellulose. Thus, the performance of corncob-derived cellulose (CC) in scaffolds as an alternative to wood cellulose (WC) was also investigated to reduce the environmental footprint. Two concentrations of CC in scaffolds were tested, 1% and 2% (w/w), and commercial WC using the same concentrations, as a control. Morphologically, all the developed scaffolds presented pore sizes of ~300 µm, 10 layers, a circular shape and well-dispersed cellulose. Thus, all of these characteristics and properties provide the manufactured scaffolds suitable for use in cartilage-replacement strategies. The use of 2% CC results in higher porosity (54.24%), which promotes cell infiltration/migration and nutrient exchange, and has similar mechanical properties to WC. As for the effects of enzymatic degradation of the scaffolds, no significant changes (p > 0.05) were observed in resistance over time. However, the obtained compressive modulus of the scaffold with 2% CC was similar to that of WC. Overall, our results suggest that the integration of 2% corncob cellulose in PCL scaffolds could be a novel way to replace wood-cellulose-containing scaffolds, highlighting its potential for cartilage-replacement strategies.

Functionalization and Antibacterial Applications of Cellulose-Based Composite Hydrogels

Pathogens, especially drug-resistant pathogens caused by the abuse of antibiotics, have become a major threat to human health and public health safety. The exploitation and application of new antibacterial agents is extremely urgent. As a natural biopolymer, cellulose has recently attracted much attention due to its excellent hydrophilicity, economy, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. In particular, the preparation of cellulose-based hydrogels with excellent structure and properties from cellulose and its derivatives has received increasing attention thanks to the existence of abundant hydrophilic functional groups (such as hydroxyl, carboxy, and aldehyde groups) within cellulose and its derivatives. The cellulose-based hydrogels have broad application prospects in antibacterial-related biomedical fields. The latest advances of preparation and antibacterial application of cellulose-based hydrogels has been reviewed, with a focus on the antibacterial applications of composite hydrogels formed from cellulose and metal nanoparticles; metal oxide nanoparticles; antibiotics; polymers; and plant extracts. In addition, the antibacterial mechanism and antibacterial characteristics of different cellulose-based antibacterial hydrogels were also summarized. Furthermore, the prospects and challenges of cellulose-based antibacterial hydrogels in biomedical applications were also discussed.

The latest achievements in plant cellulose-based biomaterials for tissue engineering focusing on skin repair

The present work reviews recent developments in plant cellulose-based biomaterial design and applications, properties, characterizations, and synthesis for skin tissue engineering and wound healing. Cellulose-based biomaterials are promising materials for their remarkable adaptability with three-dimensional polymeric structure. They are capable of mimicking tissue properties, which plays a key role in tissue engineering. Besides, concerns for environmental issues have motivated scientists to move toward eco-friendly materials and natural polymer-based materials for applications in the tissue engineering field these days. Therefore, cellulose as an appropriate substitute for common polymers based on crude coal, animal, and human-derived biomolecules is greatly considered for various applications in biomedical fields. Generally, natural biomaterials lack good mechanical properties for skin tissue engineering. But using modified cellulose-based biopolymers tackles these restrictions and prevents immunogenic responses. Moreover, tissue engineering is a quick promoting field focusing on the generation of novel biomaterials with modified characteristics to improve scaffold function through physical, biochemical, and chemical tailoring. Also, nanocellulose with a broad range of applications, particularly in tissue engineering, advanced wound dressing, and as a material for coupling with drugs and sensorics, has been reviewed here. Moreover, the potential cytotoxicity and immunogenicity of cellulose-based biomaterials are addressed in this review.

Assessment of properties, applications and limitations of scaffolds based on cellulose and its derivatives for cartilage tissue engineering: A review

Cartilage is a connective tissue, which is made up of ~80% of water. It is alymphatic, aneural and avascular with only one type of cells present, chondrocytes. They constitute about 1-5% of the entire cartilage tissue. It has a very limited capacity for spontaneous repair. Articular cartilage defects are quite common due to trauma, injury or aging and these defects eventually lead to osteoarthritis, affecting the daily activities. Tissue engineering (TE) is a promising strategy for the regeneration of articular cartilage when compared to the existing invasive treatment strategies. Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer and has desirable properties for the development of a scaffold, which can be used for the regeneration of cartilage. This review discusses about (i) the basic science behind cartilage TE and the study of cellulose properties that can be exploited for the construction of the engineered scaffold with desired properties for cartilage tissue regeneration, (ii) about the requirement of scaffolds properties, fabrication mechanisms and assessment of cellulose based scaffolds, (iii) details about the modification of cellulose surface by employing various chemical approaches for the production of cellulose derivatives with enhanced characteristics and (iv) limitations and future research prospects of cartilage TE.

Clinical Translational Potential in Skin Wound Regeneration for Adipose-Derived, Blood-Derived, and Cellulose Materials: Cells, Exosomes, and Hydrogels

Acute and chronic skin wounds due to burns, pressure injuries, and trauma represent a substantial challenge to healthcare delivery with particular impacts on geriatric, paraplegic, and quadriplegic demographics worldwide. Nevertheless, the current standard of care relies extensively on preventive measures to mitigate pressure injury, surgical debridement, skin flap procedures, and negative pressure wound vacuum measures. This article highlights the potential of adipose-, blood-, and cellulose-derived products (cells, decellularized matrices and scaffolds, and exosome and secretome factors) as a means to address this unmet medical need. The current status of this research area is evaluated and discussed in the context of promising avenues for future discovery.

Porous Curdlan-Based Hydrogels Modified with Copper Ions as Potential Dressings for Prevention and Management of Bacterial Wound Infection-An In Vitro Assessment

Bacterial infections at the wound site still remain a huge problem for current medicine, as they may lead to development of chronic wounds. In order to prevent such infections, there is a need to use wound dressings that possess ability to inhibit bacterial colonization. In this study, three new curdlan-based biomaterials modified with copper ions were fabricated via simple and inexpensive procedure, and their structural, physicochemical, and biological properties in vitro were evaluated. Received biomaterials possessed porous structure, had ability to absorb high amount of simulated wound fluid, and importantly, they exhibited satisfactory antibacterial properties. Nevertheless, taking into account all evaluated properties of new curdlan-based biomaterials, it seems that Cur_Cu_8% is the most promising biomaterial for management of wounds accompanied with bacterial infections. This biomaterial exhibited the best ability to reduce Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus growth and moreover, it absorbed the highest amount of simulated wound fluid as well as enabled optimal water vapor transmission. Furthermore, Cur_Cu_8% biomaterial possessed the best values of selective indexes, which determine its potential safety in vitro. Thus, Cur_Cu_8% hydrogel may be considered as a promising candidate for management of infected wounds as well as it may constitute a good platform for further modifications.

Cellulose Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering

In this review, we highlight the importance of nanostructure of cellulose-based biomaterials to allow cellular adhesion, the contribution of nanostructure to macroscale mechanical properties, and several key applications of these materials for fundamental scientific research and biomedical engineering. Different features on the nanoscale can have macroscale impacts on tissue function. Cellulose is a diverse material with tunable properties and is a promising platform for biomaterial development and tissue engineering. Cellulose-based biomaterials offer some important advantages over conventional synthetic materials. Here we provide an up-to-date summary of the status of the field of cellulose-based biomaterials in the context of bottom-up approaches for tissue engineering. We anticipate that cellulose-based material research will continue to expand because of the diversity and versatility of biochemical and biophysical characteristics highlighted in this review.

Biopolymers: Applications in wound healing and skin tissue engineering

Wound is a growing healthcare challenge affecting several million worldwide. Lifestyle disorders such as diabetes increases the risk of wound complications. Effective management of wound is often difficult due to the complexity in the healing process. Addition to the conventional wound care practices, the bioactive polymers are gaining increased importance in wound care. Biopolymers are naturally occurring biomolecules synthesized by microbes, plants and animals with highest degree of biocompatibility. The bioactive properties such as antimicrobial, immune-modulatory, cell proliferative and angiogenic of the polymers create a microenvironment favorable for the healing process. The versatile properties of the biopolymers such as cellulose, alginate, hyaluronic acid, collagen, chitosan etc have been exploited in the current wound care market. With the technological advances in material science, regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, and bioengineering; the functional and structural characteristics of biopolymers can be improved to suit the current wound care demands such as tissue repair, restoration of lost tissue integrity and scarless healing. In this review we highlight on the sources, mechanism of action and bioengineering approaches adapted for commercial exploitation.

Novel bioactive surface functionalization of bacterial cellulose membrane

Bacterial cellulose (BC) membrane is a promising biopolymer which can be used for tissue implants, wound healing, and drug delivery due to its unique properties, such as high crystallinity, high mechanical strength, ultrafine fiber network structure, good water holding capacity and biocompatibility. However, BC does not intrinsically present antibacterial properties. In the present study, functionalized BC membranes were prepared. FTIR, SEM and XPS were used to characterize the chemical composition and surface morphology. Static water contact angles were measured to investigate surface wettability. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans were used to evaluate the antibacterial properties of membranes. HEK293 cell lines were applied to assess the biocompatibility of membrane surfaces by MTT assay and their morphologies were observed by Confocal Microscopy. Interestingly, the resultant functionalized BC membranes exhibiting excellent antibacterial property and good biocompatibility demonstrated great utility and potential as biomaterial materials.

Rheological and mechanical study of regenerated cellulose/multi-walled carbon nanotube composites

Regenerated cellulose (RC)-based composites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared by a facile casting method. The morphology and microstructure of the fabricated composites were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetric analysis were conducted to investigate the effect of MWCNTs on the thermal behaviors of the RC. The results showed that the introduction of MWCNTs enhanced the thermal stability of the RC. Moreover, the effect of the dispersion state of MWCNTs in microcrystalline cellulose/ZnCl2 solutions with varying MWCNT loadings was studied by rheological tests. The mechanical properties of composite films were remarkably improved compared to those of pure RC film. Specifically, the composite film containing 3 wt% of MWCNTs exhibits a 123% enhancement in tensile strength and a 163% enhancement in the Young's modulus compared with the pure RC film.

Physically crosslinked-sacran hydrogel films for wound dressing application

The thin hydrogel films consisting of water-swollen polymer networks can potentially be applied for biomedical fields. Recently, natural polysaccharides have great attentions to be developed as wound healing and protection. In the present study, we newly prepared and characterized a physically crosslinked-hydrogel film composed of a novel megamolecular polysaccharide sacran for wound dressing application. We successfully fabricated a physically crosslinked-sacran hydrogel film by a solvent-casting method. The thickness of a sacran hydrogel film was lower than that of a sodium alginate (Na-alginate) film. Importantly, the swollen ratio of a sacran hydrogel film in water at 24h was 19-fold, compared to initial weight. Meanwhile, a Na-alginate hydrogel film was completely broken apart after rehydration. Moreover, a sacran hydrogel film did not show any cytotoxicity on NIH3T3 cells, a murine fibroblast cell line. The in vivo skin hydration study revealed that a sacran hydrogel film significantly increased the moisture content on hairless mice skin and considerably improved wound healing ability, compared to control (non-treated), probably due to not only the moisturing effect but also the anti-inflammatory effect of sacran. These results suggest that sacran has the potential properties as a basic biomaterial in a hydrogel film for wound dressing application.