Development of thymol-loaded polymeric films designed as wound dressing materials: Physical, antioxidant, antibacterial, cytocompatibility, and wound healing properties

Abstract

In the presented study, the potential of thymol-loaded films consisting of pullulan (PUL) and kappa carrageenan (CARR) to be used as wound dressing materials was examined. The films were characterized by FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), TGA (thermogravimetric analysis) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) analyses. Swelling and hydrolytic degradation behavior, water vapor permeability rate, and mechanical properties, which are important parameters for the films to be evaluated as wound dressing materials, were determined. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the films were examined. Additionally, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vitro wound healing activity of the films were evaluated in the L929 fibroblast cell line. The results show that the non-toxic biopolymeric film containing 5% thymol has the potential to be a promising antioxidant and antibacterial wound dressing, effectively reducing the scratch open area for wound dressing application.