title: Development of a new chitosan hydrogel for wound dressing.
abstract: Wound healing is a complex process involving an integrated response by many different cell types and growth factors in order to achieve rapid restoration of skin architecture and function. The present study evaluated the applicability of a chitosan hydrogel (CH) as a wound dressing. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was used to characterize CH morphology. Fibroblast cells isolated from rat skin were used to assess the cytotoxicity of the hydrogel. CH was able to promote cell adhesion and proliferation. Cell viability studies showed that the hydrogel and its degradation by-products are noncytotoxic. The evaluation of the applicability of CH in the treatment of dermal burns in Wistar rats was performed by induction of full-thickness transcutaneous dermal wounds. Wound healing was monitored through macroscopic and histological analysis. From macroscopic analysis, the wound beds of the animals treated with CH were considerably smaller than those of the controls. Histological analysis revealed lack of a reactive or a granulomatous inflammatory reaction in skin lesions with CH and the absence of pathological abnormalities in the organs obtained by necropsy, which supported the local and systemic histocompatibility of the biomaterial. The present results suggest that this biomaterial may aid the re-establishment of skin architecture.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maximiano P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Espiga
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Jorge C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: João P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: Ilídio J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Correia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048271:Chitosan / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D048271:Chitosan