5 - Bioactive dressings to promote wound healing

Abstract

The role of bioactive dressings derived from natural resources in managing both acute and chronic wounds is discussed. Bioactive dressings contain bioactive substances who are active in wound healing. Wound healing is a dynamic and complex process which requires suitable environment to promote healing process. With the advancement in technology, bioactive dressings have been developed to treat different types of wounds by targeting various aspects of the healing process. These materials include hydrocolloids, hydrogels, alginates, collagens, honey dressings, chitosan, chitin, derivatives from chitosan or chitin and biotextiles. Chitosan, chitin and their derivatives have been studied widely as bioactive wound dressing materials. The application of dibutyryl chitin derived from chitin is extensively reviewed. The O-butyrylation of chitin or chitosan, and a little less the N-butyrylation, is an important modification of chitin and increases the biochemical activity of chitin or chitosan. Even, water-soluble derivatives of chitin or chitosan can be obtained by O-butyrylation. Future developments in bioactive wound dressing materials based on chitin, chitosan and their derivatives are indicated using the increased knowledge and understanding of the action of these dressings in wound healing. A better knowledge and understanding of the action of these dressings in wound healing will be the basis for future developments of more bioactive dressing materials.