%0 Journal Article
%T Investigation of Regenerated Cellulose/Poly(acrylic acid) Composite Films for Potential Wound Healing Applications: A Preliminary Study
%A Manjula Bajpai
%A S. K. Bajpai
%A Dinesh Gautam
%J Journal of Applied Chemistry
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/325627
%X Regenerated cellulose/poly(acrylic acid) composite films have been synthesized for wound dressing applications. The water absorbency of these films was studied as a function of amount of cross-linker N,N¡ä-methylenebisacrylamide and cellulose contents in the feed mixture. The samples, having different compositions, showed tensile strength and percent elongation in the range of to £¿N/m2 and 110 to 265, respectively. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) for various films was found to be in the range of 2.03 to 7.18£¿mg/cm2/h. These films were loaded with antibacterial drug miconazole nitrate and their release was studied in the physiological pH at 37¡ãC. The release data was found to fit well the diffusion controlled Higuchi model. Finally the films demonstrated fair antibacterial and antifungal action, thus establishing their strong candidature as wound dressing materials. 1. Introduction Wound dressing films are three-dimensional cross-linked polymers, which are permeable to gases and moisture and are used to prevent the microbial contamination in wounds [1]. In the past, materials such as honey pastes, plant fibers, and animal fats were frequently employed as wound dressing materials [2]. A potential wound dressing film should have properties such as moisture and gas permeation capacity, mechanical strength, folding endurance (FE), capacity to release the loaded bioactive material, and antimicrobial efficacy. Ultimately, the major function of the wound dressing film is to provide the highest rate of healing and the best aesthetic repair of the wound [3, 4]. A wound dressing film is desirable to have the following prompt functions: (a) to provide moist environment, (b) to protect wound from microbial infection, and (c) to ease application and removal, avoiding dressing-related trauma [5, 6]. Wound dressings, loaded with antibacterial agent or drug, are often used to treat wound locally such as anti-infections due to secondary infection or for pain control, especially in chronic wounds [7, 8]. Recently, due emphasis has been given to various microbial polysaccharides towards the development of wound dressing materials [9], because of their biocompatible nature, biodegradability, fair water absorbing capacity, and transparency [10]. Some of these polysaccharides include hyaluronic acid, cellulose, alginate, chitosan, and kappa carrageenan [11, 12]. Cellulose, a natural polysaccharide and found in abundance, belongs to the most promising class of biopolymers [13]. The unique physical and mechanical properties of cellulose as well as its purity and
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jac/2014/325627/