Evaluation and characterization of framycetin sulphate loaded hydrogel dressing for enhanced wound healing

Hydrogels loaded with antibiotics can be an effective drug delivery systemfor treating skin diseases or conditions such asinburns and wound healing.

The current research work was planned to preparea hydrogel dressing for an effective wound healing. The hydrogel formulation was aimed to provide sustained drug release, reducing the frequency of repeated applying the transdermal drug formulation or patch.

Different polymers, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, and polyvinyl pyrrolidonein varying ratios were used to prepare hydrogels by freeze-thawing method. The prepared hydrogel formulations were loaded with framycetinsulphate (FC-S), a topical aminoglycoside.

Swelling behaviour, drug release pattern, wereinvestigated.Equilibrium and dynamic studies were conducted at pH 7.4. The prepared hydrogel formulations showed Euilibriumswellingratio of 197.5%. The in-vitro release pattern of FC-Shydrogels was determined by dissolution testing. The prepared hydrogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)andfourier transform infrared (FTIR)spectroscopy.Animal study was conducted on rats to evaluatethe in-vivo therapeutic effectiveness of FC-S hydrogels in wound healing. For that purpose,wounds were induced in the animals. The drug loaded hydrogel dressing was effiecent in wound heaing as the wound treated with FC-S loaded hydrogel was almost completely healed (97%) on the fifth day in comparison to commercially available product (Sofra Tulle gauze) that healed 86%, whereas free FC-S manifested healing at 76%.

It was observed that hydrogel dressing loaded with FC-S was therapeutically more efficient and can be used as a potential candidate for wound healing.