This study compares a wound dressing based on bacterial cellulose/collagen (BC/COL) hydrogel in rat dorsum with commercial collagenase ointment and untreated wound. The hydrogel was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Fourier transformed -Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). According to the In vivo test and macroscopic evaluation, BC/COL hydrogel showed a better repair of wounds and promoted statistically significant differences of tissue repair between treatments on the 7th day after surgery. Better quality, quantity and orientation evaluation of collagen fibers (p=0.0001) were observed in the BC/COL hydrogel and collagenase ointment groups in relation to the control group. The BC/COL hydrogel promoted better wound healing than collagenase and the control group, therefore, it can be considered a potential wound dressing for skin regeneration.

Since the beginning of the human race, there was those who sought to assist the body in a natural attempt to restore yours injured parts. One of the main current challenges is the replacement of body tissues, including areas of skin lesion. A biomaterial can be used to improve, enhance or replace, partially or fully tissues or organs. The membrane of bacterial cellulose (BC) has moldability, good mechanical properties, selective permeability, allowing the passage of water vapor but preventing the passage of microorganisms. The collagen (COL) has been widely used as material in the manufacture of biomaterials. In this study was obtained hydrogel and membrane BC-COL, characterized in different ways. Were realized in vivo studies, macroscopic and histological analyzes from dressings of BC-COL, comparing with controls (clot and collagenase ointment), after applying in wounds on the backs of rats. The animals were sacrificed after 3, 7, 15 and 30 days, and the scars were processed according to histological routine to HE staining. The characterizations performed in this study (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)) confirmed the incorporation of the COL to matrices BC. The macroscopic evaluation only demonstrated statistically significant difference of tissue repair between treatments at seven days postoperative, and the hydrogel showed a trend for a faster repair. The results of the histological evaluation showed statistically significant difference in inflammatory tissue reaction between treatments in all periods studied. In quality evaluation, quantity and orientation of collagen fibers, only three days period didn't show statistically significant difference between treatments. We conclude from these results that the two dressings are biocompatible.