Chitosan and Collagen-Based Materials Enriched with Curcumin (Curcuma longa): Rheological and Morphological Characterization

Eduardo P Milan,Mirella Romanelli V Bertolo,Ana Maria G Plepis,Virginia C A Martins,Stanislau Bogusz Junior

doi:10.3390/polysaccharides3010013

Eduardo P Milan, Mirella Romanelli V Bertolo + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/polysaccharides3010013

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Abstract

In this study, chitosan and collagen (Ch: Col)-based materials containing curcumin (Cur) as a bioactive compound were developed for wound-healing purposes. The effects of incorporating curcumin and increasing its concentration on both the rheological properties of the formed solutions and the morphological and thermal properties of the three-dimensional scaffolds obtained from them were evaluated. Rheology showed that the presence of curcumin resulted in solutions with a solid-like behavior (G’ > G″), higher collagen denaturation temperatures, and higher viscosities, favoring their use as biomaterials for wound healing. A greater cross-linking effect was observed at higher curcumin concentrations, possibly between the amino groups from both polymers and the hydroxyl and keto groups from the polyphenol. Such cross-linking was responsible for the delay in the onset of degradation of the scaffolds by 5 °C, as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis. Moreover, the pore diameter distribution profile of the scaffolds changed with increasing curcumin concentration; a greater number of pores with diameters between 40 and 60 µm was observed for the scaffold with the highest curcumin content (50 mg), which would be the most suitable for the proposed application. Thus, the materials developed in this study are presented as promising biomaterials for their biological evaluation in tissue regeneration.

Highlights

Wounds are discontinuities created in healthy tissue that can be caused by chemical, physical, and immunological processes, among others
Curcumin was evaluated as a valuable bioactive compound in the development of chitosan- and collagen-based materials for wound-healing purposes due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties
The effects of curcumin incorporation and concentration were evaluated for the rheological properties of concentration of polyphenols (Ch): Col solutions; the polyphenols decreased the elastic behavior of the polymers at low concentrations, but the opposite tendency of further increasing G’ was observed with higher curcumin concentrations (20 and 50 mg)

Summary

Introduction

Wounds are discontinuities created in healthy tissue that can be caused by chemical, physical, and immunological processes, among others. The use of biomaterials stands out as one of the best alternatives for the wound-healing process due to their biocompatibility, non-toxicity, capacity to induce cell interactions and responses, and their capacity for tissue regeneration [4,5]. In this sense, chitosan and collagen are two options of polymers that are extensively used as biomaterials, individually or in combination [6,7,8,9]; chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from chitin, has advantages due its antimicrobial activity and its positive charge in solution [10,11,12]; collagen, the most abundant protein found in bone and tendons, acts as an extracellular matrix in the control of the function, structure, and shape of tissues [13]. Chitosan and collagen are two options of polymers that are extensively used as biomaterials, individually or in combination [6,7,8,9]; chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from chitin, has advantages due its antimicrobial activity and its positive charge in solution [10,11,12]; collagen, the most abundant protein found in bone and tendons, acts as an extracellular matrix in the control of the function, structure, and shape of tissues [13]. 4.0/).

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