Electron Beam Irradiation Processing of Aloe Vera-Releasing Hydrogels for Wound Dressing Applications

Wound dressings incorporating plant extracts are attracting considerable attention due to their ability to deliver bioactive molecules that promote wound healing. This study reports on the development of self-supporting hydrogel sheets loaded with natural Aloe vera (AV) juice and the evaluation of their cytocompatibility and AV release profile for wound dressing applications. Hydrogels composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were first crosslinked by electron beam (EB) irradiation to systematically investigate the effect of polymer compositions on the swelling and rehydration properties of hydrogels. The latter was harnessed as a process for incorporating AV juice into the dried hydrogels. While all compositions absorbed water, only hydrogels containing ≥ 70% (w/w) PVP could rehydrate beyond their original dimensions, a phenomenon attributed to larger surface pores observed in these formulations. The optimal 30PVA/70PVP composition was selected for AV loading via rehydration, followed by EB decontamination to ensure sterility. The resulting AV-loaded hydrogels were cytocompatible with L929 and human dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, for the first time, the release of key AV constituents, including ions and the polysaccharide acemannan, was demonstrated as confirmed by mass spectrometry and HPLC analyses, respectively. These results establish a novel, scalable approach for producing decontaminated, crosslinked hydrogel sheets that effectively load and release AV components, offering a promising application-ready wound dressings.