title: Evaluation of a non-woven fabric coated with a chitosan bi-layer composite for wound dressing.
abstract: This study presents a novel design of an easily stripped bi-layer composite that consists of an upper layer of a soybean protein non-woven fabric coated with a lower layer, a genipin-crosslinked chitosan film, as a wound dressing material. This study examines the in vitro properties of the genipin-crosslinked chitosan film and the bi-layer composite. Furthermore, in vivo experiments are conducted to study wounds treated with the composite in a rat model. Experimental results show that the degree of crosslinking and the in vitro degradation rate of the genipin-crosslinked chitosan films can be controlled by varying the genipin contents. In addition, the genipin contents should exceed 0.025 wt.-% of the chitosan-based material if complete crosslinking reactions between genipin and chitosan molecules are required. Water contact angle analysis shows that the genipin-crosslinked chitosan film is not highly hydrophilic; therefore, the genipin-crosslinked chitosan layer is not entangled with the soybean protein non-woven fabric, which forms an easily stripped interface layer between them. Furthermore, this new wound dressing material provides adequate moisture, thereby minimizing the risk of wound dehydration, and exhibits good mechanical properties. The in vivo histological assessment results reveal that epithelialization and reconstruction of the wound are achieved by covering the wound with the composite, and the composite is easily stripped from the wound surface without damaging newly regenerated tissue.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Material Science, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan ROC. bsliu@ctust.edu.tw
authors.forename: Bai-Shuan
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chun-Hsu
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Shr-Shin
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001458:Bandages; D048271:Chitosan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D008422:Materials Testing; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry; D013784:Textiles; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D010940:Plant Proteins; D048271:Chitosan