Sterculia crosslinked PVA and PVA-poly(AAm) hydrogel wound dressings for slow drug delivery: mechanical, mucoadhesive, biocompatible and permeability properties.

The present study deals with the synthesis and characterization of sterculia crosslinked PVA and PVA-AAm hydrogel wound dressings. The hydrogels have been characterized by SEMs, FTIR, TGA and swelling studies. This article also discusses comparison of swelling, drug release and biomedical properties such as blood compatibility, antimicrobial activity, mucoadhesion, tensile strength, burst strength, water vapour permeability, oxygen diffusion and microbial penetration of both hydrogel wound dressings. These polymeric films have absorbed 4.80 ± 0.15 and 6.32 ± 0.15 gram/g of gel of simulated wound fluid respectively and swelling occurred through Case II diffusion mechanism. The release of antibiotic drugs occurred through non-Fickian and Case II diffusion mechanisms, respectively. These polymeric films have been observed to be permeable for oxygen and water vapour but have shown impermeability to the micro-organism. Sterculia-PVA hydrogel wound dressing has shown more blood compatibility as compared to the other film. All these results indicate that these hydrogel films may be used as wound dressings for the slow release of antibiotic drug to the wound.