Theses (MSc. Analytical & Pharmaceutical Chemistry)

Wound healing is a complex biological process requiring a coordinated response to restore damaged tissue. Traditional wound dressings such as gauze and bandages provide protection but lack bioactivity, delaying healing. In addition, drug-resistant bacteria are an ever-evolving issue that poses a problem. This limitation can lead to prolonged recovery times and increased susceptibility to infections. This study investigated sodium alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose composite hydrogels incorporating bioactive glass and alizarin for wound healing applications. Formulations made up of sodium alginate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, alizarin, and bioactive glass were prepared via lyophilisation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, alizarin, and bioactive glass and indicated successful incorporation of these components. Scanning electron microscopy explored the porosity of the samples and proved that alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogels have the most pores present to facilitate and house active components. Antioxidant assays showed alizarin’s dose-dependent radical scavenging activity. At the same time, drug-release studies indicated near-complete alizarin release within 168 hours. Degradation in PBS was slower in bioactive glass-rich formulations. Antibacterial studies against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed that samples with an equal ratio of bioactive glass and alizarin showed the highest reduction in the bacteria strains compared to the control. MTT assays indicated that alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogels and samples with bioactive glass only exhibited the highest number of living and healthy cells compared to alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose with alizarin incorporated. Finally, in scratch assays, the sample with equal alizarin and bioactive glass ratios displayed the most rapid wound closure, suggesting that a balance of components can significantly enhance wound healing. Overall, this study demonstrates that combining sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, bioactive glass, and alizarin can produce hydrogels with promising antioxidant, antibacterial, and tissue-regenerative properties for wound-healing applications. However, further optimisation may be required to balance cytocompatibility and antibacterial efficacy.