Novel alkaline hydrogel advances skin wound care
Scientists develop a novel method to produce an alkaline hydrogel that
could be applied to healing wounds better

Date:
August 26, 2020
Source:
Tokyo University of Science
Summary:
Effective wound care requires the maintenance of optimal conditions
for skin and tissue regeneration. Hydrogels provide many of these
conditions, but not an alkaline environment. Now, in a breakthrough
study, scientists have developed a new method that requires no
specialized equipment and can be performed at room temperature to
produce an alkaline hydrogel in five minutes, allowing its easy
implementation in any medical practice for superior wound healing.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
With an increase in the elderly and aging population and also in the
number of invasive surgeries, wound healing has become a critical focus
area in medicine.

The complex bodily processes involved in wound healing make it challenging
as well as rewarding to identify newer methods and materials for effective wound healing. Now, in a new study, published in Polymers for Advanced Technologies, led by undergraduate student (yes, you read that right)
Ryota Teshima, researchers from Tokyo University of Science, Japan, have developed a groundbreaking novel material with possible applications in
wound healing. But exactly why is this new material so exciting?

==========================================================================
It is important to create an optimal physiological environment around a
wound to promote the growth of new cells. Recent research has revealed
that a type of material called "hydrogel" is exceptionally useful for
achieving such conditions given its molecular structure. Hydrogels are three-dimensionally cross-linked networks of polymers that can absorb
more than 95% of their volume in water. Hydrogels with natural polymers
have excellent compatibility with the biological conditions of our skin
and tissues (referred to as "biocompatibility"), can absorb fluids from
the wound, and continuously provide moisture into the wound, creating
a highly suitable environment for the wound to heal.

One such natural polymer that is used in hydrogels for wound dressing is alginate, a carbohydrate derived from seaweed, and therefore, abundantly available. Alginate gels are very easy to prepare, but gelation occurs
quickly, making it difficult to control the gelation time. Although
methods to achieve this control have previously been reported, ensuring
short gelation time while maintaining transparency results in hydrogels
with a slightly acidic (4-6) or neutral pH. Slightly acidic conditions
were, until recently, believed to be beneficial for wound healing, but
newer research has found that a slightly alkaline pH (8-8.5) is better
for promoting the growth of "skin healing" cells such as fibroblasts
and keratinocytes.

This is the context that shaped the characteristics of the next level
alginate hydrogel production method that Mr Teshima and his team
developed. He summarizes their breakthrough: "We have succeeded in
preparing a novel alkaline alginate hydrogel (pH 8.38-8.57) suitable for
wound healing via a method that requires no special equipment and can be carried out at room temperature. This, in addition to the fact that the hydrogel forms in 5 minutes, makes it ideal for potential use in any
medical practice anywhere for superior wound healing." Their method
involves mixing calcium carbonate and potassium alginate, and then
adding carbonated water to this mixture and letting the "gelation" (gel formation) process take place. In this method, the pH of the gel shifts
to alkaline because the carbon dioxide volatilizes after gelation. This
also ensures transparency of the gel, which in turn allows the visual assessment of wounds and helps in easily ascertaining the progress
of healing. Also, regardless of the amounts of ingredients used, the
resultant hydrogels have extremely high water content -- up to 99%.

When the team placed their hydrogel in physiological saline solution,
it passed the test for another critical requisite for a wound dressing:
the potential to absorb exudates from the wound. And while the hydrogel
did become structurally weak and could not be lifted with tweezers after
a week of immersion, it retained its shape.

Speaking about the motivation behind this exciting study, Mr Teshima says,
"I have been experimenting with alginate gels ever since junior high
school. There was also increasing interest in regenerative medicine when
I was growing up, which compelled me to focus on the creation of useful biocompatible materials that can be used in medical therapy." Well,
there's no denying that this novel hydrogel developed by Mr Teshima's
team shows immense potential for near-future application to wound healing
in medicine.

Hopeful of even more potential applications of their method in medicine
beyond wound healing, Mr Teshima says, "In the future, if it is possible
to control the sustained release of an effective drug held inside it,
this novel hydrogel can be used as a drug carrier as well." For now,
the next step is to assess its viability and effectiveness in living
cells and animal models. When that is done, Mr Teshima's Japan, and subsequently, the world, can be made a better place.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Tokyo_University_of_Science. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ryota Teshima, Yayoi Kawano, Takehisa Hanawa, Akihiko Kikuchi.

Preparation and evaluation of physicochemical properties of novel
alkaline calcium alginate hydrogels with carbonated water. Polymers
for Advanced Technologies, 2020; DOI: 10.1002/pat.5027 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826101641.htm

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