Superior Technique for the Production of Agarose Dressing Containing Sericin and Its Wound Healing Property

Abstract

Finding a simple and eco-friendly production technique that matches to the natural agent and results in a truly valuable natural scaffold production is still limited amongst the intensively competitive natural scaffold development. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop natural scaffolds that were environmentally friendly, low cost, and easily produced, using natural agents and a physical crosslinking technique. These scaffolds were prepared from agarose and sericin using the freeze-drying method (D) or freeze-thawing together with the freeze-drying method (TD). Moreover, plasticizers were added into the scaffold to improve their properties. Their physical, mechanical, and biological properties were investigated. The results showed that scaffolds that were prepared using the TD method had stronger bonding between sericin and other compounds, leading to a low swelling ratio and low protein release of the scaffolds. This property may be applied in the development of further material as a controlled drug release scaffold. Adding plasticizers, especially glycerin, into the scaffolds significantly increased elongation properties, leading to an increase in elasticity of the scaffold. Moreover, all scaffolds could activate cell migration, which had an advantage on wound healing acceleration. Accordingly, this study was successful in developing natural scaffolds using natural agents and simple and green crosslinking methods.

Expanding the boundaries of silk sericin biomaterials in biomedical applications

“…Freeze-drying 115 or freeze–thaw methods 116 are commonly used for SS-scaffold fabrication, with a combinatorial approach utilizing both methods to achieve different swelling and drug release profiles. 117 Additionally, ethanol treatment post-drying enhances the content of β-sheet structures and crystallinity. 48 Electrospinning is another method for producing SS-based scaffolds, producing nanofibers with high surface area and porous material structures that mimic the extracellular matrix.…”

An Up-to-Date Review of Biomaterials Application in Wound Management

“…According to Napavichayanun et al [ 126 ], interesting results were also obtained for biomaterial scaffolds made of agarose and sericin additivated with plasticizers. By the combined use of freeze-thawing and freeze-drying methods, there was obtained strong bonding between sericin and other components, resulting in a low swelling ratio and low protein release of the scaffolds, which are advantageous properties for developing controlled drug release scaffolds.…”

“… Classification and examples of polymers used for fabricating biomaterial scaffolds. Created based on information from [ 115 , 118 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 ]. Abbreviations: PCL—poly (ε-caprolactone), PLA—polylactic acid, PLGA—poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), PAM—polyacrylamide, PHB—poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, PUR—polyurethane.…”