Synthesis and Evaluation of Functionalized Polyurethanes for pH-Responsive Delivery of Compounds in Chronic Wounds

Zhongyan Li; Matthew Crago; Timothy Schofield; Haoxiang Zeng; Heema Kumari Nilesh Vyas; Markus Müllner; Anne Mai-Prochnow; Syamak Farajikhah; Sina Naficy; Fariba Dehghani; Sepehr Talebian

doi:10.3390/gels9080611

Gels (Jul 2023)

Synthesis and Evaluation of Functionalized Polyurethanes for pH-Responsive Delivery of Compounds in Chronic Wounds

Zhongyan Li,
Matthew Crago,
Timothy Schofield,
Haoxiang Zeng,
Heema Kumari Nilesh Vyas,
Markus Müllner,
Anne Mai-Prochnow,
Syamak Farajikhah,
Sina Naficy,
Fariba Dehghani,
Sepehr Talebian

Affiliations

Zhongyan Li: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Matthew Crago: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Timothy Schofield: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Haoxiang Zeng: Key Centre for Polymers and Colloids, School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Heema Kumari Nilesh Vyas: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Markus Müllner: Key Centre for Polymers and Colloids, School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Anne Mai-Prochnow: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Syamak Farajikhah: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Sina Naficy: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Fariba Dehghani: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Sepehr Talebian: Faculty of Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/gels9080611
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 8
p. 611

Abstract

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Chronic wounds, depending on the bacteria that caused the infection, can be associated with an extreme acidic or basic pH. Therefore, the application of pH-responsive hydrogels has been instigated for the delivery of therapeutics to chronic wounds. Herein, with the aim of developing a flexible pH-responsive hydrogel, we functionalized hydrophilic polyurethanes with either cationic (polyethylene imine) or anionic (succinic anhydride) moieties. A comprehensive physicochemical characterization of corresponding polymers was carried out. Particularly, when tested in aqueous buffers, the surface charge of hydrogel films was closely correlated with the pH of the buffers. The loading of the cationic and anionic hydrogel films with various compound models (bromophenol blue; negatively charged or Pyronin Y; positively charged) showed that the electrostatic forces between the polymeric backbone and the compound model will determine the ultimate release rate at any given pH. The potential application of these films for chronic wound drug delivery was assessed by loading them with an antibiotic (ciprofloxacin). In vitro bacterial culturing was performed using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Results showed that at the same drug dosage, different release profiles achievable from cationic and anionic polyurethanes can yield different degrees of an antibacterial effect. Overall, our results suggest the potential application of cationic and anionic hydrophilic polyurethanes as flexible pH-responsive materials for the delivery of therapeutics to chronic wounds.

Published in Gels

ISSN: 2310-2861 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry: Inorganic chemistry; Science: Chemistry: General. Including alchemy
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/gels

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