Preparation, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activities of Ceragenins Incorporated Into Polyvinyl Alcohol/Gelatin/Sodium Alginate-Based Hydrogels for Treatment of Burn Wounds

Abstract

Ceragenins are synthetic molecules that mimic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in the human immune system. They feature a bile acid-based structure with appended positively charged groups that disrupt bacterial cell membranes, leading to microbial cell death or inactivation. In this study, ceragenin CSA-44 was incorporated into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/gelatin (G)/sodium alginate (SA)-based hydrogel (PGA-CSA). The hydrogel was cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA) for 20 min using a 0.125% GA (v/v) solution. The optimized volume ratios of the polymer solutions in the hydrogel were determined to be 2:1:3 (PVA:SA:G). PGA-CSA and PGA hydrogels were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury porosimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The maximum swelling ratio of PGA-CSA was 780.48% +/- 14.80%, and the WVTR value was 905.4 +/- 35.4 g/m2/d. Drug release studies showed a cumulative CSA-44 release of 29.07% over 7 days. The antibacterial activity of the hydrogel was tested against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 19151, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, and MRSA. The tested bacteria were inhibited within 2, 2.5, 3, and 3.5 h, respectively. The developed PGA-CSA hydrogel demonstrated outstanding potential and unique characteristics as an antibacterial dressing for burn wounds.