Low Protein Adsorption Research Articles

An in situ silicone–silicone interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) with higher mechanical property, higher hydrophilicity, and lower protein adsorption

As medical materials, silicone polymers are poor in mechanical properties and in resistance to fouling for its non-specific adsorption of proteins, cells, etc. This paper introduces a new type of silicone–silicone interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) composing of two curing reactions: One was radical coupled reaction, and the other was ring opening of epoxy by amino groups. The IPN were characterized by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic mechanical analysis, cross section scanning electron microscope, and mechanical property. IPN structure could be formed in a co-continuous phase, while the sea–island phase could be also found up to amino content, and then tear strength and elongation at break were obviously increased. ATR FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and static water contact angles confirmed that IPN surfaces showed the hydrophilicity dependent on surface amino-epoxy component. The static water contact angles were greatly decreased to the lowest 69.3°. Both qualitative and quantitative bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption assay confirmed that, compared with pure polydimethylsiloxane, BSA adsorption on IPN substrates were greatly decreased, with the most 85%.

Design of Carrageenan-Based Heparin-Mimetic Gel Beads as Self-Anticoagulant Hemoperfusion Adsorbents.

The currently used hemoperfusion adsorbents such as activated carbon and ion-exchange resin show dissatisfactory hemocompatibility, and a large dose of injected heparin leads to the increasing cost and the risk of systematic bleeding. Natural polysaccharide adsorbents commonly have good biocompatibility, but their application is restricted by the poor mechanical strength and low content of functional groups. Herein, we developed an efficient, self-anticoagulant and blood compatible hemoperfusion adsorbent by imitating the structure and functional groups of heparin. Carrageenan and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) cross-linked networks were built up by the combination of phase inversion of carrageenan and post-cross-linking of AA, and the formed dual-network structure endowed the beads with improved mechanical properties and controlled swelling ratios. The beads exhibited low protein adsorption amounts, low hemolysis ratios, low cytotoxicity, and suppressed complement activation and contact activation levels. Especially, the activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and thrombin time of the gel beads were prolonged over 13, 18, and 4 times than those of the control. The self-anticoagulant and biocompatible beads showed good adsorption capacities toward exogenous toxins (560.34 mg/g for heavy metal ions) and endogenous toxins (14.83 mg/g for creatinine, 228.16 mg/g for bilirubin, and 18.15 mg/g for low density lipoprotein (LDL)), thus, highlighting their potential usage for safe and efficient blood purification.

Photopolymerized PVA-g-GMA Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications: Factors Affecting Hydrogel Formation and Bioevaluation Tests

A series of PVA-g-GMA crosslinked hydrogel based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) functionalized with vinyl groups of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) has been synthesized. The trans-esterification reaction occurred by introducing methacryloyl groups into PVA chains, while the glycidol was produced as by-product. The water-soluble PVA-g-GMA macromonomers were photocrosslinked using Irgacure 2959 ( $$\hbox {I}_{2959})$$ as UV photoinitiator at 365 nm. Factors affecting the hydrogel formation, e.g., PVA-g-GMA polymer concentration, $$\hbox {I}_{2959}$$ initiator concentration, and irradiation time, were discussed as a function with the swelling degree of formed hydrogels. Also, in vitro bioevaluation tests have been assessed. It was realized that the swelling degree of PVA-g-GMA hydrogels was reduced significantly with increasing the GMA concentration, prolonging the irradiation time and initiator concentration to certain extent. Notably, high GMA content in PVA-g-GMA hydrogels exhibited low protein adsorption, high thermal stability, and very slow hydrolytic degradation, due to the high crosslinking density and tighter structure of the formed hydrogels. However, hydrogels do not show antimicrobial activity against E. coli and klebsiella pneumonia growth even with loaded ampicillin, while unexpected significant resistance was observed against Staphylococcus aureus owing to the loaded ampicillin in hydrogels. Surprisingly, PVA-g-GMA with high GMA contents showed cytotoxic effect against cells using MTT assay, compared to the safe moderated GMA content hydrogels.

Preparation and characteristics of the sulfonated chitosan derivatives electrodeposited onto 316l stainless steel surface

In order to ameliorate the properties of corrosion resistance and achieve applications in anti-biofouling of 316L stainless steel (SS), a sulfated derivative of chitosan was deposited onto stainless steel surface by an electrochemical method. In detail, chitosan-catechol (CS-CT) was synthesised in the hydrochloric acid solution by the Mannich reaction and then electrodeposited on the surface of the polished 316L stainless steel. The chitosan-catechol deposited SS sample was further modified with maleic anhydride and sulfite. The grafting progress was monitored by FTIR, UV spectrophotometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Hydrophilicity and corrosion resistance of modified SS were characterized by water contact angle measurements, Tafel curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The morphology of the SS surface before and after the modification was investigated by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscope. Further, the anti-biofouling performance in terms of the anti-adsorption protein and anti-bacteria effects of all modified SS samples were estimated, and the modified 316L exhibits the capability of lower protein adsorption and improved antibacterial effect.

Influence of Solvent–Evaporation Effect on the Structure and Properties of PVDF-g-PNIPAAm Membranes

ABSTRACTTemperature-sensitive poly(vinylidene fluoride)-graft-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PVDF-g-PNIPAAm) copolymer was synthesized and its flat membranes were prepared through phase inversion method with mixture of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as solvent in water coagulation bath. The effects of “open time” (solvent–evaporation time) on the structure and performance of membranes were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electronic microscopy, contact angle, filtration experiments and static protein adsorption. It was found that the increasing “open time” endowed the membrane with more pores on the surface, higher flux and better hydrophilicity, provided the membrane with lower protein adsorption. Thus, the copolymer membranes showed a good antiprotein fouling.

The effect of cationically-modified phosphorylcholine polymers on human osteoblasts in vitro and their effect on bone formation in vivo

The effect of introducing cationic charge into phosphorylcholine (PC)-based polymers has been investigated in this study with a view to using these materials as coatings to improve bone formation and osseointegration at the bone-implant interface. PC-based polymers, which have been used in a variety of medical devices to improve biocompatibility, are associated with low protein adsorption resulting in reduced complement activation, inflammatory response and cell adhesion. However, in some applications, such as orthopaedics, good integration between the implant and bone is needed to allow the distribution of loading stresses and a bioactive response is required. It has previously been shown that the incorporation of cationic charge into PC-based polymers may increase protein adsorption that stimulates subsequent cell adhesion. In this paper, the effect of cationic charge in PC-based polymers on human osteoblasts (HObs) in vitro and the effect of these polymers on bone formation in the rat tibia was assessed. Increasing PC positive surface charge increased HOb cell adhesion and stimulated increased cell differentiation and the production of calcium phosphate deposits. However, when implanted in bone these materials were at best biotolerant, stimulating the production of fibrous tissue and areas of loosely associated matrix (LAM) around the implant. Their development, as formulated in this study, as bone interfacing implant coatings is therefore not warranted.Graphical abstract

Tuning the Density of Poly(ethylene glycol) Chains to Control Mammalian Cell and Bacterial Attachment

Surface modification of biomaterials with polymer chains has attracted great attention because of their ability to control biointerfacial interactions such as protein adsorption, cell attachment and bacterial biofilm formation. The aim of this study was to control the immobilisation of biomolecules on silicon wafers using poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) chains by a “grafting to” technique. In particular, to control the polymer chain graft density in order to capture proteins and preserve their activity in cell culture as well as find the optimal density that would totally prevent bacterial attachment. The PEG graft density was varied by changing the polymer solubility using an increasing salt concentration. The silicon substrates were initially modified with aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES), where the surface density of amine groups was optimised using different concentrations. The results showed under specific conditions, the PEG density was highest with grafting under “cloud point” conditions. The modified surfaces were characterised with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and water contact angle measurements. In addition, all modified surfaces were tested with protein solutions and in cell (mesenchymal stem cells and MG63 osteoblast-like cells) and bacterial (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) attachment assays. Overall, the lowest protein adsorption was observed on the highest polymer graft density, bacterial adhesion was very low on all modified surfaces, and it can be seen that the attachment of mammalian cells gradually increased as the PEG grafting density decreased, reaching the maximum attachment at medium PEG densities. The results demonstrate that, at certain PEG surface coverages, mammalian cell attachment can be tuned with the potential to optimise their behaviour with controlled serum protein adsorption.

Acid-labile poly(amino alcohol ortho ester) based on low molecular weight polyethyleneimine for gene delivery.

A series of acid-labile poly(amino alcohol ortho ester) (POEeis) were synthesized through ring-opening polymerization between diglycidyl ethers with ortho ester bonded and low molecular weight polyethyleneimine by various feed molar ratios. The obtain POEei 1 and POEei 2 exhibited clear kinetic of degradation and condensed plasmid DNA into nanoparticles of suitable sizes (250-300 nm) and positive zeta potentials (+20-30 mV) while protecting DNA from enzymatic digestion. Further, these polymers have uniform distribution of abundant hydroxyl groups, which could improve their water solubility, biocompatibility, and lower protein adsorption. Significantly, ortho ester groups in POEeis main-chains could hydrolyze rapidly at acidic endosomal pH, resulting in intracellular DNA release and diminished material toxicity. MTT assay revealed that all the polymers exhibited much lower cytotoxicity than 25 kDa PEI in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, the transfection efficiency of POEei 1 was higher than 25 kDa PEI in serum-free medium or 10% serum medium.

Improved hemodialysis with hemocompatible polyethersulfone hollow fiber membranes: In vitro performance.

We show that addition of nanozeolite (NZ) and vitamin E D-α-Tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS or T) considerably improves the performance of polyethersulfone (PES or P) hollow fiber membrane (HFM) for hemodialysis. Nanocomposite HFMs were manufactured using PES as a polymer, TPGS as an additive and NZ as a filler to give a composite membrane called PT-NZ. HFMs were spun by dry-wet spinning principle based on liquid-liquid phase separation. TPGS and NZ were successfully incorporated in HFMs, as confirmed by EDX elemental mapping. The resultant PT-NZ HFMs had improved hemocompatibility: lower percent hemolysis (0.28% in batch mode and 0.32% in continuous mode), lower platelet adhesion, higher coagulation time and lower protein adsorption (16.34 µg/cm2 ), compared with P, PT, and commercial (F60S) HFMs. The ultrafiltration coefficient of PT-NZ HFM-based module (274.59 mL/m2 /h/mmHg) was ∼1.5-times higher than that of F60S membranes (151.67 mL/m2 /h/mmHg), and the solute rejection of both the membranes was comparable. The toxin clearance performance of lab-scale PT-NZ HFM-based hemodialyzer with uremic toxin spiked goat blood was remarkably higher (five times) than that of F60S. Hence, the synthesized PT-NZ HFMs are a potentially attractive membrane material for hemodialysis application, particularly due to decreased treatment time and minimal side reactions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1286-1298, 2018.

Improved fouling resistance of poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane modified with poly(acryloyl morpholine)-based amphiphilic copolymer

An amphiphilic copolymer of poly(methyl methacrylate)-co-poly(N-acryloylmorpholine) (PMMA-co-PACMO) was synthesized via radical copolymerization. The copolymer was directly blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to prepare flat membranes using the phase inversion technology. During membrane formation, the hydrophilic PACMO chains were preferably segregated onto membrane surface, which endowed the PVDF/PMMA-co-PACMO membranes with the enhanced hydrophilicity. The prepared PVDF/PMMA-co-PACMO membranes showed lower protein adsorption than pristine PVDF membrane, due to the elimination of interaction force between membrane and protein. With the increase of copolymer concentration in the casting solution, the macrovoids were gradually formed at the cross section of the PVDF/PMMA-co-PACMO membranes. Filtration experiments indicated that the total and irreversible membrane fouling ratios were significantly suppressed via the incorporation of PMMA-co-PACMO. The flux recovery ratio of the PVDF/PMMA-co-PACMO membrane was as high as 98.4%. These results suggested that the hydrophilic modification by blending amphiphilic copolymer PMMA-co-PACMO was a feasible approach to improve anti-fouling property of PVDF membrane.

Poly(ε-caprolactone) modification via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization with bio-inspired phosphorylcholine

Bio-inspired phosphorylcholine modification on material surface has shown great promise in constructing biocompatible materials. In this study, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) was grown on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) surface in order to suppress protein adsorption and cells adhesion and to improve blood compatibility. The initiator for surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) was covalently tethered on PCL surface and then PMPC brushes with diverse graft amounts were grafted to PCL film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle measurement were used to characterize the modified sheets. The PMPC-grafted PCL sheets showed lower protein adsorption, maintained secondary structure of detached protein, and suppressed adhesion and pseudopodium formation of the platelets, along with keeping longer activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) in comparison with PCL membranes. At the same time, PMPC-grafted PCL sheets suppressed the LO2 cells adhesion. These results showed that phosphorylcholine SI-ATRP modification on PCL surface may provide PCL more biocompatible in biomaterial applications.

"Hearing Loss" in QCM Measurement of Protein Adsorption to Protein Resistant Polymer Brush Layers.

Accurate quantification of nonspecific protein adsorption on biomaterial surfaces is essential for evaluation of their antifouling properties. The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is an acoustic sensor widely used for the measurement of protein adsorption. However, although the QCM is highly sensitive, it does have performance limitations when working with surfaces modified with thick viscous layers. In the case of polymer brush surfaces, factors such as the thickness and viscosity of the brush may bring such limitations. In the present work, three types of antifouling molecules were used to explore the applicability of QCM for the evaluation of the protein resistance of hydrophilic polymer brush surfaces. Adsorption was also measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as a reference. It was shown that the detection of adsorbed protein requires that protein be located within a critical distance from the QCM chip surface, determined by the viscosity of polymer brush. For larger proteins like fibrinogen, adsorption is expected to occur mainly "on top" of the polymer brush, and brush thickness determines whether protein is located in the "detectable zone". For smaller proteins like lysozyme, adsorption is expected to occur mainly at the chip surface and within the polymer brush layer and to be detectable by QCM. However, the quantity of adsorbed lysozyme may be underestimated when secondary adsorption also occurred. It is concluded that QCM data suggesting very low protein adsorption on polymer brush surfaces should take account of these considerations and should be treated generally with caution.

Macroporous modified poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with charged groups for tissue engineering: Preparation and in vitro evaluation

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels are widely employed for various biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, due to their biocompatibility, high water solubility, low protein adsorption, and chemical stability. However, non-charged surface of PVA-based hydrogels is not optimal for cell adhesion and spreading. Here, cross-linked macroporous hydrogels based on low molecular weight acrylated PVA (Acr-PVA) was synthesized by modification of the pendant alcohol groups on the PVA with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). To enhance cell affinity, charged groups were introduced to the hydrogel composition. For this purpose, Acr-PVA was copolymerized with either negatively charged acrylic acid (AA) or positively charged 2-(diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) monomers. A surface charge of the obtained hydrogels was found to be in function of the co-monomer type and content. Confocal microscopy observations confirmed that adhesion and spreading of both mouse fibroblasts (L929) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) on the modified Acr-PVA-AA and Acr-PVA-DEAEMA hydrogels were better than those on the non-modified Acr-PVA hydrogel. The increase of DEAEMA monomer content from 5 to 15mol% resulted in the enhancement of cell viability which was 1.5-fold higher for Acr-PVA-DEAEMA-15 hydrogel than that of the non-modified Acr-PVA hydrogel sample.

Polysulfone hemodiafiltration membranes with enhanced anti-fouling and hemocompatibility modified by poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) via in situ cross-linked polymerization

Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and its copolymers have been widely employed for the modification of hemodiafiltration membranes due to their excellent hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility. However, challenges still remain to simplify the modification procedure and to improve the utilization efficiency. In this paper, antifouling and hemocompatibility polysulfone (PSf) hemodiafiltration membranes were fabricated via in situ cross-linked polymerization of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) in PSf solutions and non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique. The prepared membranes were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which suggested that VP and VTEOS have been cross-linked copolymerized in PSf membranes. The modified PSf membranes with high polymer content showed improved hydrophilicity, ultrafiltration and protein antifouling ability. In addition, the modified PSf membranes showed lower protein adsorption, inhibited platelet adhesion and deformation, prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and decreased the content of fibrinogen (FIB) transferring to fibrin, indicating enhanced hemocompatibility. In a word, the present work provides a simple and effective one-step modification method to construct PSf membranes with improved hydrophilicity, antifouling and hemocompatibility.

Rational Design of a Transferrin-Binding Peptide Sequence Tailored to Targeted Nanoparticle Internalization.

The transferrin receptor (TfR) is a promising target in cancer therapy owing to its overexpression in most solid tumors and on the blood-brain barrier. Nanostructures chemically derivatized with transferrin are employed in TfR targeting but often lose their functionality upon injection in the bloodstream. As an alternative strategy, we rationally designed a peptide coating able to bind transferrin on suitable pockets not involved in binding to TfR or iron by using an iterative multiscale-modeling approach coupled with quantitative structure-activity and relationship (QSAR) analysis and evolutionary algorithms. We tested that selected sequences have low aspecific protein adsorption and high binding energy toward transferrin, and one of them is efficiently internalized in cells with a transferrin-dependent pathway. Furthermore, it promotes transferrin-mediated endocytosis of gold nanoparticles by modifying their protein corona and promoting oriented adsorption of transferrin. This strategy leads to highly effective nanostructures, potentially useful in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, which exploit (and do not suffer) the protein solvation for achieving a better targeting.

Fundamental Characteristics of the Newly Developed ATA™ Membrane Dialyzer.

Dialysis membranes are often made from synthetic polymers, such as polysulfone. However, membranes made from cellulose triacetate have superior biocompatibility and have been used since the 1980s. On-line hemodiafiltration treatment accompanied by massive fluid replacement is increasingly being used in Europe and Japan, but cellulose triacetate is not suitable for this treatment. Our newly developed asymmetric triacetate membrane, the ATA™ membrane, substantially improved the filtration properties and blood compatibility because of the asymmetric structure and smooth surface of this cellulose acetate membrane. Key Message: The ATA membrane maintains its high permeability even after massive filtration and shows less temporal variation in its permeation performance, lower protein adsorption, and superior biocompatibility compared with conventional membranes.

PSS14 - Assessment of Adhesion Response To 3D Printed Materials For Ophthalmic Device Development

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment worldwide. Glaucoma surgical devices fail due to a scarring response that results in fibrous encapsulation surrounding the device preventing aqueous humour drainage. 3D printing technology has the potential to develop personalised ophthalmic devices or organs with improved cost effectiveness and productivity. Limited experimental data exists as to the biocompatibility response of 3D printed photopolymers. We performed cell adhesion and protein adsorption studies of 3D printed photopolymers and materials used in current ophthalmic devices (Silicone, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)). We aimed to assess 3D printed materials as a potential route for ophthalmic device development. 3D printed materials (n=6) were developed using a high-resolution, desktop stereo-lithography (SLA) 3D printer and compared to materials used in current ophthalmic devices. Protein adsorption was quantified using a micro bicinchoninic acid (Micro BCA) assay and fluorescein-conjugated bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) adsorption. Cell adhesion (monocytes, fibroblasts) was assessed using Alamar Blue, CyQUANT and Live/Dead assays. Data were compared using a two-tailed unpaired t-Test. 3D printed materials demonstrated low cell adhesion and protein adsorption. Results were similar to those found with materials used in current ophthalmic devices (P>0.05). However it was noted that 3D printed materials demonstrated increased cytotoxicity (P<0.05). 3D printed photopolymer materials demonstrated a similar biocompatibility response to currently used materials and may allow for the development of customisable ophthalmic devices or organs. Subsequent testing will determine the adhesion response to 3D printed materials containing anti-scarring agents.

Nanostructured mesoporous carbon polyethersulfone composite ultrafiltration membrane with significantly low protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion

A novel polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membrane containing 0.05–2.00 wt% of synthesized mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCNs) was prepared via the phase inversion technique. The structures and properties of MCNs were characterized using a variety of analytic techniques. The MCNs showed the surface area of 1396.8 m2/g and the highest pore size of around 1 nm. The effect of incorporation of MCNs on the composite membrane morphology and performance was investigated through pure water flux, protein adsorption, and bacterial adhesion resistance tests. The membrane's anti-fouling performances were determined under constant-pressure operation at 100 kPa in a dead-end module. The as-prepared nanocomposite membranes were also studied in terms of morphology, structure and surface chemistry. Generally, the incorporation of MCNs into the polymeric membrane improved the pure water flux. The composite membrane containing 0.20 wt% MCNs exhibited the highest antifouling, protein adsorption resistance, and bacterial attachment inhibition property. The incorporation of the MCNs into the membranes introduces a different strategy of inhibiting biomolecule adsorption and bacterial attachment to the membrane surface, instead of killing the bacteria which may lead to more severe membrane fouling by the intracellular substances.

Effects of nanotopography on the in vitro hemocompatibility of nanocrystalline diamond coatings.

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) coatings have been investigated for improved wear resistance and enhanced hemocompatibility of cardiovascular devices. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of NCD surface nanotopography on in vitro hemocompatibility. NCD coatings with small (NCD-S) and large (NCD-L) grain sizes were deposited using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, contact angle testing, and Raman spectroscopy. NCD-S coatings exhibited average grain sizes of 50-80 nm (RMS 5.8 nm), while NCD-L coatings exhibited average grain sizes of 200-280 nm (RMS 23.1 nm). In vitro hemocompatibility testing using human blood included protein adsorption, hemolysis, nonactivated partial thromboplastin time, platelet adhesion, and platelet activation. Both NCD coatings demonstrated low protein adsorption, a nonhemolytic response, and minimal activation of the plasma coagulation cascade. Furthermore, the NCD coatings exhibited low thrombogenicity with minimal platelet adhesion and aggregation, and similar morphological changes to surface-bound platelets (i.e., activation) in comparison to the HDPE negative control material. For all assays, there were no significant differences in the blood-material interactions of NCD-S versus NCD-L. The two tested NCD coatings, regardless of nanotopography, had similar hemocompatibility profiles compared to the negative control material (HDPE) and should be further evaluated for use in blood-contacting medical devices. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 253-264, 2017.

Agarose bioplastic-based drug delivery system for surgical and wound dressings.

We have developed an agarose-based biocompatible drug delivery vehicle. The vehicle is in the form of thin, transparent, strong and flexible films. The biocompatibility and haemocompatibility of the films is confirmed using direct and indirect contact biological assay. Contact angle measurement exhibits hydrophilic nature of the films, and protein adsorption test shows low protein adsorption on the film surface. Drugs, antibiotics and antiseptics, retain their potency after their incorporation into the films. Our bioplastic films can be a versatile medium for drug delivery applications, especially as wound and surgical dressings where a fast drug release rate is desired.