Investigation of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/curcumin film for wound dressing application

This research presents the preparation of polymeric thin films from chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for application in healing wounds and burns. Synthetically, chitosan solution containing 2% chitosan and 2% acetic acid is mixed with polyvinyl alcohol solution 2%. The casting of CS/PVA mixtures at 60°C produces homogeneous CS/PVA thin films. In addition, to improve the stability of CS/PVA films in aqueous environments, citric acid is added to make CS/PVA films crosslinked and durable, especially when in contact with wounds and secretions in a long time. Particularly, to attain effective antibacterial activity, natural curcumin is extracted from yellow turmerics in order to modify CS/PVA films. Morphology, structure and antimicrobial properties of as-prepared CS/PVA/Cur films are investigated using UV-VIS, FTIR, SEM and mechanical tensile measurement methods. On the basis of analytical results, the blend films are evaluated and improved for potential application of wound dressing.