Development of Biopolymer Composite Based Cross Linked Hydrogels For Wound Healing Application

Abstract

This study is based on creating and assessing cross-linked biopolymer composite newlinemetronidazole loaded hydrogel films for wound healing applications. Twelve newlinebatches of hydrogel films were formulated by solvent casting method. Different newlineconcentrations of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, newlineand polyvinyl alcohol were used to create hydrogel films. Two control hydrogel newlinefilms (with and without drug) were formulated in absence of crosslinker. Selection newlineof materials were done on the basis of preformulation studies. According to newlinephysicochemical evaluations and swelling properties, hydrogel film containing newlinemore concentration of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, showed best results. newlineFourier transform infrared spectroscopy verified the chemical cross-linking (ester newlinebond) between sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose. newlineWater vapour transmission rate for hydrogel films ranged between 167.10 ± 13 to newline341.83 ± 32 g/m2/day. Increasing the concentration of sodium carboxymethyl newlinecellulose leads to decrease in WVTR by making dense and less permeable films. newlineSodium carboxymethyl cellulose in more concentration shows less porous structure newlinedue to entanglement of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose molecules and swelling of newlinefilm takes place instead of water transmission, leads to decrease in WVTR values, newlinewhich is acceptable for wound healing process. Tensile strength for hydrogel films newlineranged between 10.74 ± 0.83 to 62.02 ± 0.10 N. Drug-loaded film S7D shows good newlinetensile strength because of strong bonding. Films with more concentration of newlinehydroxypropylmethyl cellulose show a high swelling index initially but get newlinedissolved completely within one hour, as the swelling index is inversely newlineproportional to cross-linking density thus these results indicate poor cross-linking in newlineS9 and S10 batches of hydrogel films. So these batches were not studied for drug newlineincorporation.