3D Printed Chitosan/Alginate Hydrogels for the Controlled Release of Silver Sulfadiazine in Wound Healing Applications: Design, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity

Abstract

The growing demand for personalized medicine requires innovation in drug manufacturing to combine versatility with automation. Here, three-dimensional (3D) printing was explored for the production of chitosan (CH)/alginate (ALG)-based hydrogels intended as active dressings for wound healing. ALG hydrogels were loaded with 0.75% w/v silver sulfadiazine (SSD), selected as a drug model commonly used for the therapeutic treatment of infected burn wounds, and four different 3D CH/ALG architectures were designed to modulate the release of this active compound. CH/ALG constructs were characterized by their water content, elasticity and porosity. ALG hydrogels (Young’s modulus 0.582 ± 0.019 Mpa) were statistically different in terms of elasticity compared to CH (Young’s modulus 0.365 ± 0.015 Mpa) but very similar in terms of swelling properties (water content in ALG: 93.18 ± 0.88% and in CH: 92.76 ± 1.17%). In vitro SSD release tests were performed by using vertical diffusion Franz cells, and statistically significant different behaviors in terms of the amount and kinetics of drugs released were observed as a function of the construct. Moreover, strong antimicrobial potency (100% of growth inhibition) against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was demonstrated depending on the type of construct, offering a proof of concept that 3D printing techniques could be efficiently applied to the production of hydrogels for controlled drug delivery.

Prospects of Using Chitosan-Based Biopolymers in the Treatment of Peripheral Nerve Injuries

“…The three-dimensional printing of chitosan-based materials is an emerging technology for the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. By utilizing three-dimensional printing techniques, customized chitosan conduits, scaffolds, and implants with intricate structures and precise dimensions can be fabricated, providing individualized solutions for nerve regeneration [ 125 , 126 ]. These chitosan-based conduits possess unique structures and a porous architecture, which offer excellent support and guidance for neural cells, promoting their regeneration and connection within the injury site [ 127 , 128 ].…”

Advances in Three Dimensional Bioprinting for Wound Healing: A Comprehensive Review

“…On the other hand, synthetic hydrogels such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) are lacking biological features inherent in their structure, but possess suitable structures to obtain biological functions [76]. Hydrogels have numerous applications in biofabrication and tissue engineering, most of which relate to drug delivery [77], contact lenses [78] and wound dressings [79]. Some hydrogels can mimic the natural tissue environment, possessing several key properties of natural ECM components [80] that enable cell encapsulation in a highly aqueous, mechanically robust 3D environment, without sacrificing biocompatibility.…”

“…Recently, Bergonzi et al examined active dressing: a hydrogel-based 3D printing dressing consisting of CH/ALG for wound healing [77]. A freeze deposition 3D printing method was used to fabricate CH/ALG hydrogels with modifiable thickness and interconnected pore structures.…”

Rapid Prototyping of 3D-Printed AgNPs- and Nano-TiO2-Embedded Hydrogels as Novel Devices with Multiresponsive Antimicrobial Capability in Wound Healing

“…The preparation of ink formulations suitable for 3D printing was carried out by taking into account of the crucial solution parameters such as viscosity, polymer concentrations, and homogeneity [40][41][42]. In particular, up to twelve different inks were prepared as described in Table 2.…”