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Bio-inspired Aloe vera sponges for biomedical applications
S S Silva1, M B Oliveira1, J F Mano1
13B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, 4806-909 Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
Carbohydrate Polymers
|August 18, 2014
Summary
Aloe vera (AV) sponges, stabilized with gellan gum (GG), exhibit porous structures and sustained protein release. These biocompatible AV sponges show promise for biomedical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Plant-based materials
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Aloe vera (AV) possesses valuable chemical and biological properties for various applications.
- AV gel is rich in compounds, nutrients, and polysaccharides, making it a promising natural resource.
- Developing stable, functional biomaterials from AV is crucial for its wider utilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel sponges from Aloe vera (AV) gel using freeze-drying.
- To enhance the aqueous stability of AV sponges with a gellan gum (GG) coating.
- To evaluate the structural, mechanical, and drug delivery properties of the developed AV-based sponges.
Main Methods:
- Aloe vera gel was freeze-dried to create porous structures.
- A thin coating of gellan gum (GG) was applied to enhance stability.
- Sponges' porosity, swelling, mechanical properties, and protein release (BSA-FTIC) were analyzed.
- In vitro cytotoxicity assays were performed using a mouse fibroblast cell line.
Main Results:
- AV-based sponges exhibited heterogeneous porous structures with interconnected pores and high porosity (72-77%).
- The gellan gum (GG) coating improved sponge stability, swelling behavior, and mechanical properties.
- Sustained release of Bovine Serum Albumin-Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (BSA-FTIC) was observed over 3 weeks.
- In vitro studies confirmed that the sponges are non-cytotoxic to mouse fibroblast cells.
Conclusions:
- Freeze-dried Aloe vera (AV) gel, coated with gellan gum (GG), forms stable, porous sponges.
- These AV-based sponges demonstrate excellent potential for sustained protein delivery.
- The developed sponges are biocompatible and suitable for biomedical applications.
