Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Nov 9;15(11):2608.
doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15112608.

Alginate-Based Hydrogels Enriched with Lavender Essential Oil: Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties, Antimicrobial Activity, and In Vivo Biocompatibility

Alina Gabriela Rusu  1 , Loredana Elena Niță  1 , Irina Roșca  2 , Alexandra Croitoriu  1 , Alina Ghilan  1 , Liliana Mititelu-Tarțău  3 , Aurica Valentin Grigoraș  4 , Bianca-Elena-Beatrice Crețu  1 , Aurica P Chiriac  1
Affiliations

Alginate-Based Hydrogels Enriched with Lavender Essential Oil: Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties, Antimicrobial Activity, and In Vivo Biocompatibility

Alina Gabriela Rusu et al. Pharmaceutics. .

Abstract

Owing to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, in the last few years, lavender essential oil (LVO) has been used in medical applications as a promising approach for treating infected wounds. However, the practical applicability of LVO is limited by its high volatility and storage stability. This study aimed to develop a novel hybrid hydrogel by combining phytic acid (PA)-crosslinked sodium alginate (SA) and poly(itaconic anhydride-co-3,9-divinyl-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5] undecane (PITAU) and evaluate its potential effectiveness as an antibacterial wound dressing after incorporating LVO. The influence of the mass ratio between SA and PITAU on the properties and stability of hydrogels was investigated. After LVO loading, the effect of oil addition to hydrogels on their functional properties and associated structural changes was studied. FTIR analysis revealed that hydrogen bonding is the primary interaction mechanism between components in the hybrid hydrogels. The morphology was analyzed using SEM, evidencing a porosity dependent on the ratio between SA and PITAU, while LVO droplets were well dispersed in the polymer blend. The release of LVO from the hydrogels was determined using UV-VIS spectroscopy, indicating a sustained release over time, independent of the LVO concentration. In addition, the hybrid hydrogels were tested for their antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Very good antimicrobial activity was obtained in the case of sample SA_PITAU3+LVO10% against S. aureus and C. albicans. Moreover, in vivo tests showed an increased antioxidant effect of the SA_PITAU3+LVO10% hydrogel compared to the oil-free scaffold that may aid in accelerating the healing process of wounds.

Keywords: alginate; antimicrobial activity; hydrogels; lavender essential oil.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
FTIR spectra of (a) precursor (SA, PA, and PITAU) and (b) hybrid hydrogels.
Figure 2
Figure 2
SEM images of hydrogels based on SA, PA, and PITAU.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Swelling kinetics of SA/PA/PITAU hydrogels in buffer solution with pH 7.4 at 25 °C; (b) effect of pH on the swelling behavior at equilibrium (25 °C).
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Cumulative drug release curve of LVO-loaded hydrogels; (b) radical scavenging activity of LVO-loaded hydrogel and oil-free SA_PITAU3 hydrogel.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Antimicrobial activity of: (1a)—control against S. aureus; (1b)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO5% against S. aureus; (1c)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO10% against S. aureus; (1d)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO15% against S. aureus; (2a)—control against E. coli; (2b)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO5% against E. coli; (2c)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO10% against E. coli; (2d)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO15% against E. coli; (3a)—control against C. albicans; (3b)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO5% against C. albicans; (3c)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO10% against C. albicans; (3d)—sample SA_PITAU3+LVO15% against C. albicans.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Influence of hydrogels on complement activity in the blood: (a) complemen; (b) ALT; (c) AST. * p < 0.05 versus time zero; ♦ p < 0.05 versus the control group.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Influence of hydrogels on (a) blood urea and (b) creatinine levels.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Influence of hydrogels on (a) MDA and (b) SOD activity. * p < 0.05 versus zero time; ♦ p < 0.05 versus the control group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Suflet D.M., Popescu I., Pelin I.M., David G., Serbezeanu D., Rîmbu C.M., Daraba O.M., Enache A.A., Bercea M. Phosphorylated Curdlan Gel/Polyvinyl Alcohol Electrospun Nanofibres Loaded with Clove Oil with Antibacterial Activity. Gels. 2022;8:439. doi: 10.3390/gels8070439. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Monfared-Hajishirkiaee R., Ehtesabi H., Rezaei A., Najafinobar S. Development of carboxymethyl cellulose/chitosan double-layer hydrogel combining myrtle essential oil and thyme honey to enhance antibacterial and mechanical properties. J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 2023;126:382–397. doi: 10.1016/j.jiec.2023.06.027. - DOI
    1. Chiriac A.P., Stoleru E., Rosca I., Serban A., Nita L.E., Rusu A.G., Ghilan A., Macsim A.-M., Mititelu-Tartau L. Development of a new polymer network system carrier of essential oils. Biomed. Pharmacother. 2022;149:112919. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112919. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mostaghimi M., Majdinasab M., Golmakani M.-T., Hadian M., Hosseini S.M.H. Development and characterization of antimicrobial alginate hydrogel beads filled with cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsion. J. Biomater. Sci. Polym. Ed. 2023;34:1–17. doi: 10.1080/09205063.2023.2230843. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Jia B., Li G., Cao E., Luo J., Zhao X., Huang H. Recent progress of antibacterial hydrogels in wound dressings. Mater. Today Bio. 2023;19:100582. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100582. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources

-