Antiseptic chitosan bandage for preventing topical skin infections

Infections on the wound surface are the major problem in restricting the healing process. To reduce the transmission and treat the infection, we have developed 0.05% and 0.1% octenidine dihydrochloride (Ocd) incorporated chitosan (Cs) based flexible bandages. Ocd is extensively used skin antiseptic for its mode of action over a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. The prepared antiseptic Cs-Ocd bandage was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, swelling, degradation, cytocompability, antibacterial, and anti-biofilm property of the developed bandages were studied. This highly porous nature of Cs-Ocd bandage showed enhanced swelling property, slow degradation profile and controlled release of Ocd. The prepared antiseptic bandage exhibited synergistic effect showing good hemostatic potential with Cs, excellent antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity with Ocd against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Candida auris (C. auris). Thus, the developed Cs-Ocd bandage can be used as potential antiseptic bandage for skin infections.