- Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), provides structural strength, elasticity, and stability.
- Gelatin, a collagen-derived protein, adds biodegradability and enhances interaction with biological tissues.
Figure: Effect of PVA concentration on swelling capacity (blue) and compressive strength (orange). As PVA concentration increases, the hydrogel becomes mechanically stronger but less able to absorb water. This balance is critical when designing wound dressings that must retain moisture yet resist tearing
Research Insights- Hydrophilicity & Absorption: Increasing gelatin content enhances surface wettability and water uptake, improving biological compatibility and tissue integration.
- Hemocompatibility: <5 % hemolysis confirms excellent blood compatibility and safety for biomedical contact applications.
- Permeation Capacity: Both low- and high-molecular-weight drugs diffuse effectively through the matrix, indicating suitability for sustained and controlled drug release.
- Functional Relevance: The combined properties of hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and permeability position PVA/Gelatin hydrogels as promising materials for wound dressings and transdermal delivery systems.
Kamoun, E. A., Chen, X., Mohy Eldin, M. S., & Kenawy, E.-R. S. (2015). Crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels for wound dressing applications: A review of remarkably blended polymers. Arabian Journal of Chemistry, 8(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arabjc.2014.07.005
Kim, S., Lim, H., Kim, S., & Lee, D. Y. (2020, March 15). Effect of PVA Concentration on Strength and Cell Growth Behavior of PVA/gelatin Hydrogels for Wound Dressing. https://doi.org/10.9718/JBER.2020.41.1.1
Zaki, R. M., Alfadhel, M. M., Alossaimi, M. A., Elsawaf, L. A., Devanathadesikan Seshadri, V., Almurshedi, A. S., Yusif, R. M., & Said, M. (2022). Central Composite Optimization of Glycerosomes for the Enhanced Oral Bioavailability and Brain Delivery of Quetiapine Fumarate. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 15(8), 940. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15080940
