Fabrication and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticle Incorporated Keratin-Thiolated Pectin Hydrogels For Wound Healing Application Throug Ionic Gelation

Abstract

Pectin and keratin are materials that are biocompatible, biodegradable, and would contribute to desirable swelling, erosion, and antimicrobial properties. Not only that, the modification of pectin into thiolated pectin could potentially increase the properties of pectin, as a component of hydrogels for wound dressing. Thus, this research project was aimed to explore and analyze the properties of pectin/thiolated pectin-keratin hydrogels as a wound dressing, from its swelling, erosion, and antimicrobial properties. Hydrogels with different formulations were made, and the swelling, erosion, and antimicrobial studies were done. In addition, the modification of pectin into thiolated pectin was also followed by the free-thiol measurement to further know the quality of the thiomers. After analyzing the result of each study, it was shown that pectin has a contribution in increasing the swelling, erosion, and antimicrobial properties of the hydrogels, whereas keratin didn't. In comparison with pectin, thiolated pectin has a better capacity in increasing the swelling and erosion properties, although it decreases the antimicrobial activity of the hydrogels. In addition, incorporating AgNP into these hydrogels further increases the antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, although it could decrease the other two properties. Thus, using pectin, thiolated pectin, and keratin as components for hydrogels, have the potential to be an ideal wound dressing, which has several characteristics such as having desirable swelling, erosion, and antimicrobial properties.