In-vitro and in-vivo study of superabsorbent PVA/Starch/g-C₃N₄/Ag@TiO₂ NPs hydrogel membranes for wound dressing

The present study was focused on the fabrication and characterization of polymeric wound dressings, composed of PVA and Starch. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was incorporated as a filler and Silver deposited-Titania nanoparticles (Ag@TiO₂ NPs) as an antibacterial agent. The hydrogel membranes were fabricated by solution casting under ambient conditions. The prepared hydrogels were subjected to various characterizations techniques and obtained data demonstrated good compatibility among the constituents of the membranes. The antibacterial activity was investigated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The maximum zone of inhibition achieved was 37.33 and 33.25 mm, respectively at the composition PVA/Starch/0.14GCN/0.7Ag@TiO₂ NPs. Furthermore, swelling, moisture retention and water vapor transmission results demonstrated that hydrogels were capable of absorbing large volume of wound exudates. Porosity and oxygen permeability results have demonstrated that hydrogels membranes were breathable. Lastly, kinetics of drug release was performed by using various mathematical models where Higuchian model was found to be the best fit. Non-Fickian diffusion mechanism prevailed and a sustained and slow release of nanoparticles was observed. The complete healing was accomplished in seven days. The fabricated hydrogel membranes depicted better healing than conventional cotton gauze wound dressings. The prepared hydrogel membranes have demonstrated all the potential to be used as wound dressing for partial and full thickness excision wounds after complete biological characterization.