title: Alginate hydrogels coated with chitosan for wound dressing.
abstract: In this work, a coating of chitosan onto alginate hydrogels was realized using the water-soluble hydrochloride form of chitosan (CH-Cl), with the dual purpose of imparting antibacterial activity and delaying the release of hydrophilic molecules from the alginate matrix. Alginate hydrogels with different calcium contents were prepared by the internal setting method and coated by immersion in a CH-Cl solution. Structural analysis by cryo-scanning electron microscopy was carried out to highlight morphological alterations due to the coating layer. Tests in vitro with human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) were assessed to check the absence of toxicity of CH-Cl. Swelling, stability in physiological solution and release characteristics using rhodamine B as the hydrophilic model drug were compared to those of relative uncoated hydrogels. Finally, antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was tested. Results show that alginate hydrogels coated with chitosan hydrochloride described here can be proposed as a novel medicated dressing by associating intrinsic antimicrobial activity with improved sustained release characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB), CNR, via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy. mariacristina.straccia@ictp.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Straccia
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB), CNR, via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy. giovanna.gomez@ictp.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Giovanna Gomez
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: d'Ayala
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, CNR, via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy. iromano@icb.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, via L. De Crecchio 7, Naples 80138, Italy. adriana.oliva@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB), CNR, via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli 80078, Italy. paola.laurienzo@ictp.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laurienzo
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001458:Bandages; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020100:Hydrogels; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: alginate; antibacterial activity; chitosan hydrochloride; hydrogels; sustained release; wound dressing