Biosafety evaluation of a biodegradable gelatin hydrogel wound dressing for the delivery of growth factors

摘要

Although traditional wound dressings (nonocclusive) offering dry wound healing conditions still account for the largest segment of the dressing market, the use of occlusive dressings, hydrocolloid and hydrogel dressings which offer moist wound healing conditions has increased significantly. A next important step in the development of new dressings is the introduction of medicated wound dressings capable of delivering active substances to the wound site. For instance, it is known that exogenous growth factor applications into the wound site enhances wound repair. Gelatin hydrogels cross-linked by dextran dialdehydes have been shown to allow the controlled release of growth factors. An important prerequisite for the clinical usefulness of a wound dressing is good biocompatibility. Therefore, the biocompatibility of cross-linked gelatin hydrogels films was evaluated in vitro by cytotoxicity tests involving suitable target cells, and in vivo by implantation studies in fullthickness wounds made in mouse and pig animal models.