NEW DELHI: Researchers have developed an injectable hydrogel derived from spirulina that can help accelerate wound repair in internal injuries and rapid healing in diabetic patients, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) said on Thursday.
Repeated dressing of diabetic wounds badly affects the healing process, while it is difficult to assess the wound repair in internal injuries due to treatment complications.
To address this, scientists at the DST’s Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali have developed an injectable hydrogel from kappa-carrageenan, a water-soluble polysaccharide found in edible red seaweeds, and a pigmented protein called C-phycocyanin, found in spirulina.
The gelling property of k-carrageenan was utilised by the researchers, along with C-phycocyanin, as an injectable and regenerative wound-dressing matrix to heal the wound rapidly and also to monitor its progress in real-time.
The matrix developed was highly biocompatible. The research published in the journal, “Acta Biomaterialia”, established the superior haemostatic (blood flow retarding) capabilities of the combination in traumatic injury conditions. (AGENCIES)
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