Sustainable Biomedical Applications of Cellulose

Abstract

Cellulose present in plant cell wall and in some microbes is the most plentiful carbohydrate on earth. Due to its complex structure and biological-friendly nature, it can be widely used as such or in derived form in biological processes. Thin fiber of cellulose called cellulose nanofiber is used for many medicinal purposes. High specific surface area, reactive surface, and mechanical strength make cellulose biocompatible. The potency of biodegradability, nontoxic, and are relatively low cost makes cellulose a good choice for medical use. Nanofibers of cellulose can be used in controlled drug delivery, dressing material for wound healing, excipient, and in transdermal drug delivery, and as anticancer and antimicrobial agent. Cellulose nanofibers wound dressing revealed high biocompatibility and rapid epithelialization of burn wounds. Cellulose nanofibers as excipient enhance the stability of emulsion by viscosity modification and increasing the tensile strength of tablets. Anticancer drug-loaded hydrogels exhibited the highest drug release at pH 7 by using cellulose derivative. Blood vessel, nucleus pulposus replacement, enzyme immobilization, cardiac, ophthalmic, and neural tissue engineering is also presented. Application of microbial cellulose is also important which is used in wound healing and regeneration of damaged organs. Microbial cellulose membranes, having a unique nanostructure, could have many other uses in wound healing and regenerative medicine, such as guided tissue regeneration (GTR), periodontal treatments, or as a replacement for dura mater showing that it could eventually become an excellent platform technology for medicine. If microbial cellulose can be successfully mass produced, it will eventually become a vital biomaterial and will be used in the creation of a wide variety of medical devices and consumer products. The present chapter unveils current and potential uses of cellulose and its derivatives in biomedical sciences.