A new fusidic acid-loaded hydrogel film was prepared via the solvent casting technique using alginate and Aloe vera. The hydrogel films were optimized using different ratios of sodium alginate, Aloe vera, and glycerin. The films containing 10% glycerin (w/w of alginate) exhibited the best appearance. Incorporating Aloe vera influenced the thickness, swelling behavior, water vapor permeability, and drug release profile of the hydrogel films. Higher Aloe vera content resulted in thicker films (up to a certain ratio), increased swelling, reduced water vapor permeability, and a prolonged drug release of up to 93% over 12 h. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the presence of key functional groups and the interaction between the hydrogel components. The study suggests that the combination of sodium alginate, Aloe vera, and glycerin can improve the mechanical properties and drug release profiles of hydrogel films, making them a promising option for enhanced topical drug delivery and wound healing applications.
Effective wound healing requires biocompatible and functional wound dressings. This study explores the synergistic potential of gellan gum (GG), known for its exceptional gel-forming abilities, and acacia stingless bee honey (SBH), for its potent antioxidant properties, in developing advanced wound care solutions. GG hydrogel films incorporated with varying concentrations of SBH (v/v) at 10 % (GGSBH10), 15 % (GGSBH15), and 20 % (GGSBH20) were characterized. The incorporation of SBH into the GG matrix resulted in distinctive spectral peaks of ATR-FTIR associated with SBH, particularly evident in GGSBH20. Among the formulations, GGSBH20 demonstrated an impressive water vapor transmission rate of 1149 ± 11 g m-2 d-1 and a swelling ratio of 169 ± 7 %. Disk diffusion revealed that E. coli was susceptible to GGSBH. Cytotoxicity assessments (MTT and scratch assays) on 3 T3-L1 cells confirmed the biocompatibility of GGSBH, which showed no cytotoxic effects up to 72 h of incubation, and improved cell viability. Notably, GGSBH20 displayed the highest wound closure rate, significantly enhancing cell migration and proliferation. Overall, our findings underscore the promising healing properties of GG hydrogel films when enriched with acacia SBH, highlighting their potential as effective and innovative wound dressing materials.