Properties of biomineralized (CaCO3) PVP-CMC hydrogel with reference to its cytotoxicity

Characterization and Evaluation of Commercial Carboxymethyl Cellulose Potential as an Active Ingredient for Cosmetics

Carboxymethyl cellulose is the most used water-soluble cellulose with applications in industries such as food, cosmetics, and tissue engineering. However, due to a perceived lack of biological activity, carboxymethyl cellulose is mostly used as a structural element. As such, this work sought to investigate whether CMC possesses relevant biological properties that could grant it added value as a cosmeceutical ingredient in future skincare formulations. To that end, CMC samples (Mw between 471 and 322 kDa) skin cell cytotoxicity, impact upon pro-collagen I α I production, and inflammatory response were evaluated. Results showed that samples were not cytotoxic towards HaCat and HDFa up to 10 mg/mL while simultaneously promoting intracellular production of pro-collagen I α I up by 228% relative to the basal metabolism, which appeared to be related to the highest DS and Mw. Additionally, CMC samples modulated HaCat immune response as they decreased by ca. 1.4-fold IL-8 production and increased IL-6 levels by ca. five fold. Despite this increase, only two samples presented IL-6 levels similar to those of the inflammation control. Considering these results, CMC showed potential to be a more natural alternative to traditional bioactive cosmetic ingredients and, as it is capable of being a bioactive and structural ingredient, it may play a key role in future skincare formulations.

Multifunctional applications of natural polysaccharide starch and cellulose: An update on recent advances

The emergence of clinical complications and therapeutic challenges for treating various diseases necessitate the discovery of novel restorative functional materials. Polymer-based drug delivery systems have been extensively reported in the last two decades. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the progression of natural biopolymers based controlled therapeutic strategies, especially in drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. However, the solubility and functionalisation due to their complex network structure and intramolecular bonding seem challenging. This review explores the current advancement and prospects of the most promising natural polymers such as cellulose, starch and their derivatives-based drug delivery vehicles like hydrogels, films and composites, in combating major ailments such as bone infections, microbial infections, and cancers. In addition, selective drug targeting using metal-drug (MD) and MD-based polymeric missiles have been exciting but challenging for its application in cancer therapeutics. Owing to high biocompatibility of starch and cellulose, these materials have been extensively evaluated in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. This review presents a detailed impression of the current trends for the construction of biopolymer-based tissue engineering, drug/gene/protein delivery vehicles.

A sustainable solution to plastics pollution: An eco-friendly bioplastic film production from high-salt contained Spirulina sp. residues

Plastic products have become a major contaminant in environmental ecology due to their recalcitrant biodegradation, poor management and risky disposal. Therefore, much research attention has been paid to developing the biodegradable bio-based plastics. However, many of the substitute bioplastics derived from agricultural materials may present a potential threat to food security and eco-systems. Herein, we propose a sustainable, eco-friendly and simple procedure to convert the hazardous high-salt contained microalgal residues into bioplastic film. With 35 % poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) assistance, the composite bioplastic films achieved 22 MPa tensile strength under alkali condition and 77 % elongation at break under acidic condition. The average maximum contact angle of 94.4° confirmed a desirable water resistance potential. The synthesis mechanism demonstrated that the inorganic salts existed in microalgal residues could act as the filler in shape of sheets under alkali condition or as the cross linker under acidic condition, significantly enhancing the practical feasibility. This work demonstrates a promising biodegradable bioplastics formed from sustainable eco-friendly waste reutilization process, providing a new insight for fundamentally reducing the plastics pollution.

Dual Crosslinked Collagen/Chitosan Film for Potential Biomedical Applications

The application of polymeric biomaterial scaffolds utilizing crosslinking strategy has become an effective approach in these days. In the present study, the development and characterization of collagen-chitosan hydrogel film has been reported on using dual crosslinking agent's, i.e., tannic acid and genipin simultaneously. Incorporation of genipin imparts a greenish-blue color to the polymeric film. The effect of dual crosslinking and their successful interaction within the matrix was evaluated by infrared analysis spectroscopy. The porosity of the film was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results of TGA determine the intermediate thermal degradation. Further, the crosslinking phenomenon has found primary impact on the strength of the films. Enzymatic degradation for the films was performed with lysozyme and lipase. The cell adhesion and proliferation was also accomplished using mouse embryonic cell lines wherein the cells cultured on the dual crosslinked film. The thriving utilization of such dual crosslinked polymeric film finds their applications in ophthalmology especially as an implant for temporary injured cornea and skin tissue regeneration.