Ferulic acid incorporated anti-microbial self cross-linking hydrogel: A promising system for moderately exudating wounds

Abstract

Research on bio-active materials of natural origin and their applications in medicine is of great interest lately. Many hydrogel systems have been developed by incorporating phenolic phytochemicals into polymers. Ferulic acid (FA) is a dietary phenolic compound known for its wound healing activity due to its anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties. In this work, a FA incorporated hydrogel was prepared from self-crosslinking alginate dialdehyde (ADA) and gelatin (G) and evaluated for its anti-microbial properties and wound healing activity in-vitro. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that FA forms hydrogen bonds with amino groups of gelatin through its hydroxyl group in ADAGFA hydrogel. FA incorporation imparted anti-microbial activity to the hydrogel. The properties of the hydrogel such as water absorption (345 ± 20%), water vapor transmission rate (1170 ± 78 g/m2/day), mechanical properties (52.80 ± 6.02 MPa (dry film)), and the anti-microbial activity indicated that the FA incorporated hydrogel film has characteristics appropriate for moderately exudating wounds. In vitro scratch wound assay gives evidence that the FA released from ADAGFA enhanced the migration rate of the human dermal fibroblast cells. The ADAGFA also promotes collagen deposition from fibroblast cells which is additional evidence of the suitability of the material as a wound care biomaterial.