title: Bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose-chitosan membranes for wound dressing applications.
abstract: Bacterial cellulose (BC) and bacterial cellulose-chitosan (BC-Ch) membranes were successfully produced in large scale. BC was synthesized by Acetobacter xylinum. BC-Ch was prepared by immersing BC in chitosan followed by freeze-drying. The surface morphology of BC and BC-Ch membranes were examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM images showed that BC-Ch possessed a denser fibril network with smaller pores than BC. Infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the incorporation of chitosan in BC-Ch. The swelling behavior, water retention capacity, and mechanical properties of BC and BC-Ch were further evaluated. Results indicated that both membranes maintained proper moisture contents for an extensive period without dehydration. The tensile strength and elongation at break for BC-Ch were slightly lower while the Young's modulus was higher. Cell culture studies demonstrated that BC and BC-Ch had no cytotoxicity. In the antibacterial test, the addition of chitosan in BC showed significant growth inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The effects of BC and BC-Ch on skin wound healing were assessed by rat models. Histological examinations revealed that wounds treated with BC-Ch epithelialized and regenerated faster than those treated with BC or Tegaderm. Therefore, BC-Ch was considered as a potential candidate for wound dressing materials.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chun-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: Hsiu-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Chao-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shan-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D001458:Bandages; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D051379:Mice; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013227:Steam; D013499:Surface Properties; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D013227:Steam; D002482:Cellulose; D048271:Chitosan