Preparation and characterization of polyethylene glycol/chitosan composite water-based wound healing lubricant

Abstract

The proportion of pregnant women giving birth through cesarean section is increasing annually worldwide. However, post-cesarean section scar diverticulum is a common condition that occurs and requires better surgical strategies than the methods currently used. We hypothesized that using biological lubricant topically on the incision area during C-section could be an option to minimize the scar. This water-based polyethylene glycol (PEG)/chitosan (CS) composite lubricant was prepared via ultrasonic blending. The product was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The thermal stability of the materials and their heat absorption and release during heating were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Tribological tests proved that the PEG/CS composite had a better lubrication effect than either the PEG or CS lubricant alone, and the cell viability experiments verified that it had good biocompatibility. Finally, application of the composite lubricant onto the backs of mice modeling full-thickness skin incisions further confirmed that the product improved both the re-epithelialization and the collagen levels of the wounded skin. In conclusion, we expect our newly formulated PEG/CS composite lubricant to be useful not only for managing post-cesarean section scar diverticulum but also for healing skin wounds in general.

Regulation of cellulase production via calcium signaling in Trichoderma reesei under PEG8000 stress

“…In the environment, PEG does not cause pollution to soil, water, and air because it is broken down into smaller molecules by microorganisms. In the biological body, PEG can also be hydrolyzed by enzymes into harmless substances such as water and carbon dioxide, which will not cause harm to the human body (Gao et al 2022 ). Some studies have shown that methanogenic bacteria can degrade PEG (Dwyer et al 1983 ).…”

“…Studies have shown that adding PEG can not only affect the biosynthesis of cellulase, but also reduce the adsorption capacity of cellulase to lignin so as to reduce the enzyme loading and promote the effective combination of enzyme and substrate (Luo et al 2017 ). In addition, compared with organic solvent inducers such as N,N -dimethylformamide (DMF) (Chen et al 2019 ), PEG has good biocompatibility and biodegradability (Gao et al 2022 ), which ensures the safety of the biological process and the enzyme produced.…”

Fabrication of an all-in-one self-enhanced solid-state electrochemiluminescence sensing platform for the selective detection of spermine

“…We also observed two peaks for Si 2p at 102.6 eV and 103.5 eV, which are associated with the Si–OH and Si–O–Si bonds. 39–45…”

“…We also observed two peaks for Si 2p at 102.6 eV and 103.5 eV, which are associated with the Si-OH and Si-O-Si bonds. [39][40][41][42][43][44][45] Electrochemistry and ECL of the modified electrodes showed the maximum ECL intensity at +1.12 V vs. Ag/AgCl. As can be seen in Fig.…”