Development of Biocompatible Cellulose and Salicylic Acid Material for Wound Dressing

In this research study, 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose (2HEC) - an etherified cellulose derivative, was combined with salicylic acid (SA) in developing a single layer wound dressing material. Nine (9) different variable parameters with different composition of SA, from 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% (with interval of 5 wt.%) and one control sample without the addition of SA was prepared via solution casting method. The 2HEC-SA thin films were studied in terms of the effects of SA concentration to antimicrobial properties via well-diffusion method. Additionally, degradability, mechanical properties, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) of 2HEC-SA thin films were also been tested. The strongest antimicrobial effect of 2HEC-SA film was obtained at 40 wt.% with 16 mm diameter of inhibition zone. There was noticeable decreasing pattern of weight loss percentage when wt.% the of salicylic acid increased proven by degradation test. The tensile strength of 2HEC-SA film decreases as increasing the wt.% of salicylic acid. 2HEC-SA single layer wound dressing change phases from amorphous to crystalline starting at 25 wt.% of salicylic acid as proven through X-ray Diffraction (XRD) while FTIR shows that complexation of 2HEC and salicylic acid occurred at 1050 cm-1.