The area with a burn injury experiences redness and swelling due to inflammation. Though it is our body’s internal response and excess inflammation produces harmful oxygen-free radicals. This slows down the healing process. Usually bandages used have long environmental lifespan that increases medical waste. To deal with this, plant-based bandage for burns by IIT researchers made from maize protein, fruit peel sugar, and soy lecithin.
A research group called Smart Materials has created an innovative biocompatible bandage constructed from plant-based materials. These bandages can restrain inflammation and reduce free radicals, fastening the healing time. Furthermore, the bandage naturally breaks down within days and reduces waste generation.
This group is coordinated by Athanassia Athanassiou at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology). Its latest development is said to be loaded with vitamin C. It can even fasten the healing process of burn wounds.
The findings talk about the potential to develop similar kinds of products to address different kinds of skin injuries like cuts and sores. Additionally, these innovative biodegradable bandages demonstrate potential as an eco-friendly substitute for skin patches.
Highlights
The team developed a new biodegradable material and used it to craft the bandage.
- The material comprised zein (a maize-derived protein), pectin (a sugar from fruit peels like apples), and soy lecithin (from soybeans).
- Using its porous structure, the bandage is infused with Vitamin C, that is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- When the bandage is applied to the burn, it slowly releases Vitamin C. This stabilizes the inflammation and lower free radical production.
- Tests also unveiled that when this bandage is applied, there is a noticeable 50% reduction in the levels of 3 pivotal molecules linked with inflammation (interleukins IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor TNF-α).
- Moreover, the same comparison revealed that there was a notable decrease of up to 70% in the quantity of oxygen free radicals.
- Along with this, there was also an increase in fibroblasts. These are cells that are responsible for wound healing.
- Lastly, the findings also observed an increase in collagen production, which is a very vital element for skin recovery processes.
A series of preclinical tests were also carried out to further check the said results. They also showcased the product’s capacity to reduce inflammation. All these proofs highlight the effectiveness these bandages crafted by IIT have in speeding up burn healing.
Not just bandages but you can walk eco-friendly with sugarcane loafers by Reroute.
Applications of Plant-based bandage for burns by IIT Researchers
In vitro laboratory tests were conducted on keratinocytes, the cells forming the skin. The results showed this product’s compatibility with human cells. This notable step will help dictate the potential application of this product on humans in the future.
Future Prospects
Talking about this project, Fabrizio Fiorentini, a researcher at the Smart Materials laboratory revealed, “For this bandage, we began with the idea of using solely materials of natural origin, but now we would like to go even further.
“The objective will be to create a very similar product, but using substances derived from food waste in order to satisfy the circular economy concept.”
Athanassiou, the Principal Investigator of IIT’s Smart Materials Unit, said, “This is just one of the possible applications for this category of smart materials. We are working on other devices capable of speeding up healing, not only of burns, but also various other types of wounds such as lacerations or skin ulcers, pathologies that affect over half a million people in Italy and often limit personal independence.”
Source: Plant-Based, Hydrogel-like Microfibers as an Antioxidant Platform for Skin Burn Healing
