Polymeric Biomaterial Based Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

This paper focuses on the significant properties of hydrogels prepared with polymeric biomaterials: solely biopolymers (gelatin (G) and sodium alginate (SA) as base polymer) or in combination with synthetic and bio polymers (polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)) for biomedical application. Four kinds of hydrogels: G/SA, G/SA/SB (without and with seabuckthron oil (SB)) and PVP/CMC, PVP/CMC/BA (without and with boric acid (BA)) which are different from each other concerning shape, size, color, texture and properties point of view were achieved. G/SA and G/SA/SB hydrogels vary from pale yellow to orange and a little rubber like having 42-48 % moisture. On the other hand, PVP/CMC and PVP/CMC/BA hydrogels are transparent and soft gel like containing about 90-95% moisture. Both G/SA and PVP/CMC hydrogels show similar trend of viscoelastic behaviour within whole range of measured angular frequency (0.1 – 100 rad.s-1). However, the presence of BA in PVP/CMC/BA, increases the storage modulus, loss modulus and complex viscosity of hydrogel, and the presence of SB in G/SA/SB demonstrates the decrease all of these values. G/SA based hydrogel possesses natural antimicrobial property whereas PVP/CMC based hydrogel needs to incorporate antimicrobial agent to comprise antimicrobial property within the hydrogel. G/SA hydrogels show water absorption capacity until 90 min whereas PVP/CMC hydrogels are able to absorb water steadily till 240 min. Finally, it can be mentioned that all four hydrogels: G/SA, G/SA/SB, PVP/CMC, PVP/CMC/BA which meet the basic requirements of hydrogel dressings, could be recommended as dressing materials for healing of burn or cut wound as well as a tool for transdermal drug delivery.