Biological properties of the chitosan-gelatin sponge wound dressing

Abstract

In order to testify the safe reliability, antibacterial property and wound healing ability in clinic application of the chitosan-gelatin sponge wound dressing (CGSWD), a lot of experiments were executed : (1) A series of toxicological evaluations of the CGSWD were performed. (2) The antibacterial properties of the CGSWD obtained by different dryness ways were investigated, and then compared the antibacterial properties with cefradine, ciprofioxacin and penicillin to ascertain how its antibacterial property is. (3) The animal wound model was made on the back of New Zealand rabbit, and treated respectively with vaseline sterile gauze, 0.2% (v/v) ethacridine and CGSWD. The wound skin tissues at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th and 14th day after initial wounding were observed with naked eyes first, then all the skin tissues at the 14th day after initial wounding and normal skin without wounding were observed on SEM.

The results showed that as a kind of surgical wound dressing, the CGSWD is of safe reliability, good antibacterial property. The antibacterial effect of CGSWD dried by vacuum dryness on Escherichia coli K88 is better than that of penicillin, and the effect on Streptococcus is also better than that of cefradine. CGSWD makes the wound contract obviously, and the wound healing time of treatment with CGSWD is shorter than that with vaseline sterile gauze. Still, the scar formed after healing did not protrude over the skin surface conspicuously. The healing effect of CGSWD superior to that by 0.2% (v/v) ethacridine. Therefore, the CGSWD is a kind of excellent wound healing material.

Introduction

Skin is the biggest organ of human body and a barrier against environment. When it is destroyed by damage or disease, the moisture content, electrolyte and protein in wound would be lost, and the infection probability of wound increases. If the initial wound is enswathed effectively with wound dressing, the infection and dehydration of the wound could be prevented. On the other hand, that would promote wound healing, decrease complication.

Usually, the wound dressing must be preserving moisture, soft, of good permeability, non-toxicity and no pyrogen, as well as have no bad reaction and stimulation to flesh, and could promote the flesh bud growth and the skin regeneration, accelerate wound healing, decrease scars and so on.

Chitosan has many useful biological properties such as hemostasis and acesodyne activity, wound healing property, reducing scars, bacteriostasis, biocompatibility, biodegradability and so on. So, it is very suitable to be a kind of wound dressing material (HaiPeng et al., 2000, Jiang, 2001, Lai et al., 1999, Masayuki et al., 2002, Scchriest et al., 2000, Yu-Bey et al., 2004, Zikakis, 1984).

In this study, CGSWD is made from chitosan as main material and gelatin as assistant material with some other reagents. Many former experiments have proved that CGSWD is soft, permeable and preserving moisture. CGSWD has many advantages in wound dressing. The biological properties of CGSWD were researched to testify its safe reliability in flesh in the paper. The results showed that CGSWD has excellent biological properties.