PRECLINICAL TRIALS FOR ADVANCED CHITOSAN-BASED COATINGS IN TREATING PURULENT WOUNDS

Abstract

Wound healing is a complex set of body responses to damaged tissues, which manifests itself through local destructive-inflammatory changes and general reactions. There are numerous coatings used currently in clinical practice to treat wounds. These coatings serve to develop a wet anti-bacterial environment, which is essential to facilitate the healing process. This work focuses on studying multifunctional coatings, which are based on chitosan, a biocompatible polymer featuring wound-healing properties. The distinctive feature to be found in chitosan fibers is their density and the orientation of pores. The coatings within this study were tested on scalped full-layer skin wounds of male Wistar-Kyoto rats and male rabbits. The sample with a dense structure and low biological resorption was found to be effective in performing the function of a framework, as well as in ensuring proper drainage at the affected area. This is important when treating purulent wounds. The experimental sample with a high degree of adhesion and a shorter biodegradation life can be recommended for treating wounds with no purulent-inflammatory issues, for granulating wounds, as well as a drug carrier-matrix. The studied wound coatings have revealed their medical efficiency at the preclinical stage (in vivo). Using wound coatings with specified structural and functional features would allow making a reasonable choice when selecting a coating depending on the stage of wound healing course.