Bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose-chitosan membranes for wound dressing applications

Bacterial cellulose (BC) and bacterial cellulose-chitosan (BC-Ch) membranes were successfully produced in large scale. BC was synthesized by Acetobacter xylinum. BC-Ch was prepared by immersing BC in chitosan followed by freeze-drying. The surface morphology of BC and BC-Ch membranes were examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM images showed that BC-Ch possessed a denser fibril network with smaller pores than BC. Infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the incorporation of chitosan in BC-Ch. The swelling behavior, water retention capacity, and mechanical properties of BC and BC-Ch were further evaluated. Results indicated that both membranes maintained proper moisture contents for an extensive period without dehydration. The tensile strength and elongation at break for BC-Ch were slightly lower while the Young's modulus was higher. Cell culture studies demonstrated that BC and BC-Ch had no cytotoxicity. In the antibacterial test, the addition of chitosan in BC showed significant growth inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The effects of BC and BC-Ch on skin wound healing were assessed by rat models. Histological examinations revealed that wounds treated with BC-Ch epithelialized and regenerated faster than those treated with BC or Tegaderm. Therefore, BC-Ch was considered as a potential candidate for wound dressing materials.