Covering for wounds with Aloe-gel combined with alginate, pectin and chitosan: its applications in vivo

Abstract

Skin wound healing is a complex process that involves different interrelated phases (hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodeling). Aloe-gel (AG) has been considered as a biomaterial that contributes to the modulation, regeneration and acceleration in damaged tissue, during the regeneration process; it is also recommended for burn and superficial skin wounds treatments. AG also has been considered as an important biomaterial for the elaboration of wound healing dressing. However, the direct application of AG on wounds has showed some disadvantages such as: dehydration, rapid oxidation in phytoconstituent and low proportion of solutes. The AG incorporation into polysaccharides matrix (alginate, pectin and chitosan) is a strategy used to keep the biological activity and functional compounds. Even though, there are some biomaterials that have been elaborated with these polysaccharides mixtures as proposal for wound healing dressing, their applications in animal models have been limited. Therefore, this review has as aim to document the development of wound healing dressings with AG, incorporated in polysaccharides matrix, and its effect on the wounds healing.