Gamma radiation synthesis and characterization of gentamicin loaded polysaccharide gum based hydrogel wound dressings

Keeping in view the antioxidant property of the polysaccharide gums and antibiotic action of gentamicin, in the present work, an attempt has been made to design tragacanth gum/acacia gum based sterile hydrogel loaded with gentamicin for wound dressings applications. These polymers were prepared by the radiation induced crosslinking method and were characterized by AFM, SEM, cryo-SEM, XRD, TGA, DSC and swelling studies. These polymer dressings were found to be mucoadhesive, permeable to H2O/O-2 and impermeable to the microorganisms. These dressings absorbed simulated wound fluid 4.62 +/- 0.31 g/g gel and showed antioxidant activity 11.79 +/- 0.09 mu g in F-C assay and 55.66% in DPPH assay.