Polyelectroylte complex composed of chitosan and sodium alginate for wound dressing application.

Drug-impregnated polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) sponge composed of chitosan and sodium alginate was prepared for wound dressing application. The morphological structure of this wound dressing was observed to be composed of a dense skin outer layer and a porous cross-section layer by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Equilibrium water content and release of silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) could be controlled by the number of repeated in situ PEC reactions between chitosan and sodium alginate. The release of AgSD from AgSD-impregnated PEC wound dressing in PBS buffer (PH = 7.4) was dependent on the number of repeated in situ complex formations for the wound dressing. The antibacterial capacity of AgSD-impregnated wound dressing was examined in agar plate against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. From the behavior of antimicrobial release and the suppression of bacterial proliferation, it is thought that the PEC wound dressing containing antimicrobial agents could protect the wound surfaces from bacterial invasion and effectively suppress bacterial proliferation. In the cytotoxicity test, cellular damage was reduced by the controlled released of AgSD from the sponge matrix of AgSD-medicated wound dressing. In vivo tests showed that granulation tissue formation and wound contraction for the AgSD plus dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) impregnated PEC wound dressing were faster than any other groups.