What is it about?
In this study, the use of locally sourced lemon myrtle oil (LMO) (Backhousia citriodora), a remedy used traditionally by First Nations Australians, was investigated as an antimicrobial agent incorporated into the hydrogel and investigated for its activity against the common wound-infecting microbes Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans.
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Why is it important?
Chronic wounds pose a global public health challenge, particularly in remote and rural settings where access to wound management resources can be limited and cost prohibitive. The incorporation of sodium alginate (SA)-based hydrogel polymers has emerged as a cost-effective and biocompatible component in wound dressings. The addition of another low-cost component, aloe vera (AV) can be used to further tailor the physico-chemical properties of the hydrogel dressing. A major contributor to the pathophysicology of chronic wounds is the presence of microbes.
Perspectives
Novel formulations of AV-SA-LMO hydrogel prototypes were prepared at AV and SA ratios of either 5:95 or 25:75 cross-linked with calcium ions, in the presence and absence of LMO (at a concentration of 5 μg/mL) and assessed for their physico-chemical and antimicrobial properties and compared to a commercially available hydrogel-based dressing. The addition of LMO imparted viscoelastic behaviour for improved processability of AV-SA-LMO hydrogel prototypes, while increasing protein adhesion, enhancing physical properties, and improving antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis and C. albicans and the 25 AV:75 SA prototype was superior to the 5 AV:95 SA. Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) spectra confirmed the molecular structures of the hydrogel prototypes as predicted. This study has demonstrated that a 25 AV:75 SA hydrogel with 5 μg/mL LMO has comparable physico-chemical characteristics to a commercial hydrogel-based wound dressing and enhanced antimicrobial properties against S. epidermidis and C. albicans.
Dr Pratheep K Annamalai
University of Queensland
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Low-Cost, Antimicrobial Aloe-Alginate Hydrogel Film Containing Lemon Myrtle Oil (Backhousia Citriodora) for Wound Healing, January 2024, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4834278.
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