Sodium alginate, corn starch, and herbal medicines: potential blend to stimulate the tissue regeneration

Considering that the use of polysaccharides has been addressed in the replacement of tissue regeneration, the present work aimed to develop membranes made of sodium alginate, corn starch, and herbal medicines, with potential application of these biomaterials in tissue regeneration, as wound dressing. Three membranes (A, B and C) were designed and produced by casting technique, additionally, the membranes were cross-linked with calcium chloride (CaCl₂) to improve mechanical stability. The membranes characterization was followed by thermal behavior by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The chemical, structural, and morphological characteristics of the membranes were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The hydrolytic degradation of the membranes was also evaluated, and the contact angle was analyzed to determine the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character. The cytotoxicity analysis was assessed by the MTS method, and the mechanical analyses also were evaluated. The results indicated similarity among A, B, and C membranes concerning thermal behavior, despite the morphology having shown differences among the formulations. Furthermore, the amorphous character of all membranes was evidenced through XRD analyses, contributing to the hydrophilicity of the membranes, confirmed by contact angle. In mechanical analyses, results consistent with literature can be seen, including an elastic modulus close to the stiffness of human skin. Based on the obtained results, and the non-cytotoxic behavior of membranes A and B, it is concluded that both membranes are promising candidates for application as biomaterials in tissue dressings.