Natural and synthetic polymers for wounds and burns dressing.

Overview

George Dan Mogosanu, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu*: Natural and synthetic polymers for wounds and burns dressing. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 463, 127-136, 2014.

ABSTRACT

In the last years, health care professionals faced with an increasing number of patients suffering fromwounds and burns difficult to treat and heal. During the wound healing process, the dressing protectsthe injury and contributes to the recovery of dermal and epidermal tissues. Because their biocom-patibility, biodegradability and similarity to macromolecules recognized by the human body, somenatural polymers such as polysaccharides (alginates, chitin, chitosan, heparin, chondroitin), proteogly-cans and proteins (collagen, gelatin, fibrin, keratin, silk fibroin, eggshell membrane) are extensively usedin wounds and burns management. Obtained by electrospinning technique, some synthetic polymers likebiomimetic extracellular matrix micro/nanoscale fibers based on polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, poly-acrylic acid, poly-ε-caprolactone, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, exhibitin vivo and in vitro wound healing properties and enhance re-epithelialization. They provide an opti-mal microenvironment for cell proliferation, migration and differentiation, due to their biocompatibility,biodegradability, peculiar structure and good mechanical properties. Thus, synthetic polymers are usedalso in regenerative medicine for cartilage, bone, vascular, nerve and ligament repair and restoration.Biocompatible with fibroblasts and keratinocytes, tissue engineered skin is indicated for regenerationand remodeling of human epidermis and wound healing improving the treatment of severe skin defectsor partial-thickness burn injuries.

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