PVA-Sago starch hydrogel and the preliminary clinical animal study of the hydrogel

Sago starch granule dissolves in hot water to form physically crosslink semi-gel structure. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in aqueous solution is chemically crosslink and form hydrogel after expose to gamma or electron beam irradiation. Combination of sago starch and PVA give tremendous improvement on strength and elasticity of the gel. Adding additive such as carboxymethyl cellulose enhance the swelling or absorption property of the gel. These properties of hydrogel are important for wound dressing application. The preliminary clinical animal study on the PVA Sago hydrogel dressing shows promising results of healing process in comparison with the conventional dressing using vaseline impregnated gauze acting as control dressing. This re-confirmed by biopsy tests on the wound tissue taking during the healing process. The tests show the increasing amount of fibroblast and endothelial cells on both wounds using hydrogel and jalonet during the healing process. Also, the rate of epitheliazation is almost completed for both wounds after 10 days of dressing and the lymphocytes cell increase tremendously for the first 14 days with hydrogel dressing. (author)