Humectant-plasticized poly(vinyl alcohol)-sericin hydrogels with improved dimensional stability and moisture...

This study investigated the development of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/sericin hydrogels incorporating humectant-plasticizers glycerin, propylene glycol, and mannitol for wound dressing applications. Although PVA/sericin hydrogels exhibit excellent cytocompatibility and promote fibroblast proliferation and collagen production, making them promising candidates for wound care, they suffer from rapid moisture loss and dimensional instability. To address these limitations, glycerin, propylene glycol, and/or mannitol were incorporated to enhance the properties of the hydrogels. The physicochemical and mechanical properties, together with the in vitro cytocompatibility of L929 fibroblasts, were evaluated. The results demonstrated that incorporating propylene glycol and/or mannitol improved dimensional stability, skin adhesion, moisture retention, exudate absorption, flexibility, and softness. Among all the formulations, the hydrogel containing 1 % v/v propylene glycol and 1 % w/v mannitol exhibited the most balanced performance, combining superior physicochemical and mechanical properties (time to initial upward bending: 2.83 h; time for complete upward bending of all four edges: 10.50 h; gel fraction: 60 %, highest absorption at 3 h: 34.41 %; tensile strength: 46.93 kPa, elastic modulus: 33.53 kPa, compressive strength: 19.94 kPa; compressive modulus: 15.58 kPa) with enhanced fibroblast viability (102 % cell viability) and sustained sericin release (∼90 % cumulative release at 168 h). In vitro assays confirmed the cytocompatibility of the optimized hydrogel. Taken together, these findings indicate its potential for effective management of moderately exudating wounds. This study introduces a simple and practical plasticization approach for PVA/sericin hydrogels, offering a promising candidate for wound dressing applications. Further clinical studies are warranted to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy and safety.