Preparation and characterization of bio-hybrid hydrogel materials

In recent decades, research has focused on the development of modern hydrogel dressings due to their open porous structure, moisture retention and good mechanical strength, which ensures an optimal environment for cell migration and proliferation. Active hydrogel dressings, currently available on the market, are not endowed with additional medicinal substances. In this work the authors attempted to introduce a carrier-drug system into the hydrogel matrix to improve the wound healing process and the tissue recovery. The main goal of the research was to obtain the bio-hybrid sodium alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol)/Aloe vera (SA/PVA/AV)-based hydrogel matrices modified with the thermosensitive polymeric carrier – the active substance (hydrocortisone) system. First, thermosensitive polymeric nanocarriers were obtained, then the encapsulation was conducted, using varied amounts of hydrocortisone (25 and 50 mg) to maintain the stability of the resulting emulsions. The last stage was preparing the bio-hybrid hydrogel matrices by the chemical cross-linking method. The non-invasive dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique was employed for the analysis of the average particle size of the polymeric carriers and the carrier-drug systems. Moreover, the studies also determined the swelling behaviour and the gel fraction of the obtained bio-hybrid hydrogel matrices modified with carrier-drug systems by the infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The presented research results constitute a good experimental basis for further modifications, the final effect of which is assumed to be a modern bio-hybrid 3rd generation dressing.