Burn wound dressings have played significant roles in daily clinical practice. An "ideal"
burn wound dressing is non-adhesion, absorbency and antimicrobial activity. However, such a dressing is currently not available. A novel composite
hydrogel was based on poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) containing
lysine (Lys) and
vanillin (V) using freezing-thawing method. The properties of this
hydrogel were characterized by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), tensile testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and water vapour transmission rate (WVTR). Then the antibacterial activity of PVA/Lys/V composite
hydrogel was examined by bacteriolytic plate. In vivo experiment, a
burn rat model was used to evaluate the histological analysis of this
hydrogel. In results, the
Schiff base formed in the three-phase system. It improved the tensile strength and crystallization of the PVA/Lys/V composite
hydrogel. Meanwhile, this
hydrogel showed excellent bactericidal activities to both gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) and gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus) due to the
Schiff base. And the antibacterial activity toward gram-negative bacteria was better than another. On Day 7, 95-100% of the surface areas of PVA/Lys/V composite treated
burns were covered with regenerating epidermis. And the new tissue and capillary vessel formed around the
wounds after treatment. Therefore, it is suggested that treatment with PVA/Lys/V composite
hydrogel will be effective also in patients with
burns and other skin
wounds.