TY - JOUR A2 - Labow, Rosalind AU - Ghafoor, Bakhtawar AU - Ali, Murtaza Najabat AU - Ansari, Umar AU - Bhatti, Muhammad Faraz AU - Mir, Mariam AU - Akhtar, Hafsah AU - Darakhshan, Fatima PY - 2016 DA - 2016/11/14 TI - New Biofunctional Loading of Natural Antimicrobial Agent in Biodegradable Polymeric Films for Biomedical Applications SP - 6964938 VL - 2016 AB - The study focuses on the development of novel Aloe verabased polymeric composite films and antimicrobial suture coatings. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a synthetic biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, was combined with Aloe vera, a natural herb used for soothing burning effects and cosmetic purposes. The properties of these two materials were combined together to get additional benefits such as wound healing and prevention of surgical site infections. PVA and Aloe verawere mixed in a fixed quantity to produce polymer based films. The films were screened for antibacterial and antifungal activity against bacterial ( E. coli, P. aeruginosa) and fungal strains ( Aspergillus flavusand Aspergillus tubingensis) screened. Aloe verabased PVA films showed antimicrobial activity against all the strains; the lowest Aloe veraconcentration (5%) showed the highest activity against all the strains. In vitrodegradation and release profile of these films was also evaluated. The coating for sutures was prepared, in vitroantibacterial tests of these coated sutures were carried out, and later on in vivostudies of these coated sutures were also performed. The results showed that sutures coated with Aloe vera/PVA coating solution have antibacterial effects and thus have the potential to be used in the prevention of surgical site infections and Aloe vera/PVA based films have the potential to be used for wound healing purposes. SN - 1687-8787 UR - https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6964938 DO - 10.1155/2016/6964938 JF - International Journal of Biomaterials PB - Hindawi Publishing Corporation KW - ER -