Membranas de quitosana associada a cúrcuma: produção, caracterização e avaliação da biocompatibilidade e efeitos antimicrobianos

Abstract

Skin wounds cause pain, functional impairment and quality of life and are associated with significant economic impact. Chitosan and turmeric have properties that have the potential to promote the repair of skin wounds. However, the relationship between medium molar mass chitosan associated or not with turmeric, as well as the physicochemical properties and biological effects have not yet been elucidated. Thus, the objective of the present study was to produce, characterize and evaluate, in vitro, the cytotoxicity of a membrane based on medium molar mass chitosan associated or not with turmeric in a fibroblast line (L929), as well as the antimicrobial potential for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Three chitosan based membranes of medium molar mass were produced using the casting (solvent evaporation) thin film formation technique: 1% chitosan-based membrane (m/v; QM); chitosan associated with 30% glycerol (m/m in relation to the mass of chitosan; QMG); chitosan associated with 30% glycerol and 1.5% turmeric (m/m in relation to the mass of chitosan; QMGC). To characterize the physicochemical and morphological properties of the membranes, infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle and thickness measurements were used. To evaluate cell viability/cytotoxicity, L929 cells were used at a concentration of 1x104 using the alamarBlue® and Picrogreen assay; To evaluate the antimicrobial potential, strains of Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and Gram-negative bacteria E. coli were used at a concentration of 1 x 108 by evaluating the inhibition halo. The results show that all membranes were sustainable, homogeneous and flexible, with the QMG and QMGC membranes being the most flexible and most hydrophilic compared to the QM membrane. Vibrational bands were observed for chemical groups of chitosan and glycerol in all membranes. Regarding the evaluation of cytotoxicity, all membranes showed higher values of metabolic activity/viability, as well as a greater proliferation of fibroblast cells in the experimental period of 72 hours when compared to 24 hours of culture. Furthermore, all membranes presented an inhibition halo to the tested microorganisms, with the QMGC membrane promoting the greatest inhibition halo. With the results obtained in the present study, it is possible to confirm the reparative potential of chitosan-based membranes of medium molar mass, as well as their antimicrobial potential, with emphasis on the membrane associated with turmeric. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the use of these membranes as potential biomaterials for bioactive wound dressings.