Release Kinetic Model and Antimicrobial Activity of Freeze-Dried Curcumin-loaded Bacterial Nanocellulose Composite

Abstract

Naturally antibacterial-based materials are of interest for biomedical application specifically in wound dressing. The use of bioactive substance such as curcumin in combination with naturally abundant biopolymer bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), offers the best solution to achieve such material. In this study, a composite membrane comprising of curcumin particles and BNC were prepared using immersion method. The curcumin-loaded BNC (Cur-BNC) composite was characterized in terms of its morphology and chemical structure using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, respectively. The result confirmed successful incorporation of curcumin into BNC with the presence of curcumin in fibrillar network structure. The water absorption capacity and swelling ratio were evaluated, and the composite recorded water absorption rate above 150% in agreement with standard YY0148-2006. The release assay and mathematical modeling studies indicated a slow and sustained release profile which was best interpreted by the Higuchi model. For antibacterial study, the curcumin soaked BNC showed antimicrobial action against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The sample with the highest curcumin concentration of 1.0 mg/mL exhibited high log reduction of 2.63 with 98% killing ratio against the viable cells of S. aureus after 24 h of contact. The Cur-BNC composite showed great potential as a promising candidate for wound dressing.