Homogeneously Synthesized Hydroxybutyl Chitosans in Alkali/Urea Aqueous Solutions as Potential Wound Dressings

Wound healing is a clinical challenge, and nontoxic, nonadherent wound dressings that promote healing are urgently needed. Herein, hydroxybutyl chitosans (HBCSs) with the degree of substitution (DS) from 0.41 to 1.38 were synthesized in alkali/urea aqueous solutions, from which sponge-like dressings were prepared by freeze-drying. The pore size of the sponges was in the range of 14.8-18.4 mu m, and the porosity was about 98-99%. The compressive strength of the sponges decreased with increasing DS of HBCS. Cytocompatibility studies with normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cells demonstrated that HBCSs were nontoxic and could even promote the growth of fibroblasts. Further tests revealed that HBCS-3 (DS = 0.85) and HBCS-5 (DS = 1.38) exhibited better hemocompatibility and a low blood-clotting index (BCI). Therefore, these two samples were selected as model dressings for in vivo wound-healing assessment in rats. The experiments suggested that HBCS-3 significantly shortened the wound recovery period compared with HBCS-5, chitosan, and gauze by facilitating epithelialization, collagen deposition, and neovascularization and activating the immune system. The results highlighted the potential of HBCSs as efficient dressings for promoting wound healing.