Bioactive and multifunctional keratin-pullulan based hydrogel membranes facilitate re-epithelization in diabetic model

Hydrogel membrane dressings with multifunctional tunable properties encompassing biocompatibility, antibacterial, oxygen permeability, and adequate mechanical strength are highly preferred for wound healing. The present study aimed to develop biopolymer-based hydrogel membranes for the controlled release of therapeutic agent at the wound site. Toward this end we developed Cefotaxime sodium (CTX) loaded keratin (KR)pullulan (PL) based hydrogel membrane dressings. All membranes show optimized vapor transmission rate (>= 1000 g/ m2/day), oxygen permeability >8.2 mg/mL, MTT confirmed good biocompatibility and sufficient tensile strength (17.53 +/- 1.9) for being used as a wound dressing. Nonetheless, KR-PL-PVA membranes show controlled CTX release due to enriched hydrophilic moieties which protect the wound from getting infected. In vivo results depict that CTX-KR-PL-PVA membrane group shows a rapid wound closure rate (p < 0.05) with appreciable angiogenesis, accelerated re-epithelization, and excessive collagen deposition at the wound site. These results endorsed that CTX-KR-PL-PVA hydrogel membranes are potential candidates for being used as dressing material in the diabetic wound.

Automated summary

Hydrogel membranes with biocompatibility, antibacterial properties, oxygen permeability, and mechanical strength were developed for controlled release of therapeutic agents at wound sites. In vivo results showed that these membranes promoted wound closure, increased angiogenesis and accelerated re-epithelization, with excessive collagen deposition at the wound sites.