Enzyme‐assisted formation of hybrid biopolymer hydrogels incorporating active phenolic nanospheres |
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| Authors: | Petya Petkova Antonio Francesko Tzanko Tzanov |
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| Affiliation: | Grup de Biotecnologia Molecular i Industrial, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain |
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| Abstract: | Advances in development of nanocomposite gels that provide localized delivery of pharmaceuticals for treatment of chronic wounds are being highly pursued. To design such materials, the use of natural polymers is recommendable due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and biodegradability. Moreover, the use of biocatalytic approaches for composite assembling is preferred compared to harsh chemical cross‐linking reagents. In this study, HRP catalyzed cross‐linking of hydrogels from aqueous solution of thiolated chitosan to in situ incorporated sonochemically synthesized epigallocatechin gallate nanospheres (EGCG NSs). The potential of the generated NSs for chronic wound treatment was evaluated by assessing their antibacterial properties and inhibitory effect on myeloperoxidase and collagenase—major enzymes of inflamed chronic wounds. The EGCG NSs displayed better antibacterial and antienzymatic properties compared to the EGCG in solution. Also, the NSs were incorporated into hydrogels without affecting their integrity and were released intact in a sustained manner (during 6 days). The cytotoxicity assay confirmed the compatibility of the hybrid material with human fibroblasts that suffered less than 10% decrease in viability during 24 h. Release of functional phenolic NSs and good compatibility of the composite hydrogel with cells suggested its potential application in chronic wound management. |
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| Keywords: | Enzymatic cross‐linking Epigallocatechin gallate nanospheres Hydrogels Thiolated chitosan Wound healing |
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