Biomaterial from Fungal Extract helps Heal Wounds : Daily Current Affairs

Relevance: GS-3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Key Phrases: Multi-Drug Resistant Pathogens, Polymer Pullulan, Exopolysaccharide, Quaternary Ammonium Groups, Hydrogel-based Wound Dressings, Thick Neo-Epithelial Layer

Why in News?

  • Scientists have developed a new biomaterial that can be used to disinfect wounds and hasten the process of healing.
  • The use of antibiotics to control bacterial infections has come under challenge with the emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens. To address the issue researchers are looking to develop other ways of tackling such bacterial infections.

About the New Biomaterial:

  • The biomaterial is derived from the polymer pullulan which is secreted by the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans.
  • It is an exopolysaccharide, that is, this polymer is secreted by the fungus itself into the medium in which it is growing.
  • Pullulan as a biomaterial is already successful and widely used commercially.
  • It is exploited in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industry because of its non-toxic, non-mutagenic, and non-immunogenic properties.
  • Further, its ease of manufacture has also added to its appeal.
  • In the biomedicine sector, it has been used for drug and gene delivery, but its use as an antimicrobial biomaterial has not been explored.

Do you know about Antimicrobial Resistance?

  • Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
  • As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.

Why is antimicrobial resistance a global concern?

  • The emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens have acquired new resistance mechanisms, leading to antimicrobial resistance, and continues to threaten our ability to treat common infections.
  • Especially alarming is the rapid global spread of multi- and pan-resistant bacteria also known as “superbugs” that cause infections that are not treatable with existing antimicrobial medicines such as antibiotics.

How does the Biomaterial work?

  • Pullulan is basically a polymeric chain of glucose. The biocompatible carbohydrate backbone of the polymer is kept intact and some quaternary ammonium groups are introduced into the polymer to make it positively charged.
  • The polymer is processed to get a powder that is water-soluble. This solution is applied to the wound surface and then covered with sterile gauze. This can also be used in gel form.
  • The best approach will be to design hydrogel-based wound dressings using this biomaterial.
  • This is because hydrogels have an inherent ability to accelerate wound healing by providing a closed and moist environment to the wounds for easy exchange of oxygen and act as an absorbent pad to remove the pus and debris

Efficacy of the Biomaterial:

  • The efficacy of the material was tested by applying it directly to a full-thickness wound on mice.
  • The wounds got disinfected and also the healing was faster.
  • The material could cause a 100% closure of wounds within 12 days, while in the absence of application of the material, closure was only 60%.
  • According to the researchers, within seven days, a thick neo-epithelial layer was formed well-connected to wound edges along with hair follicles.
  • A completely healed skin with more hair follicles under the epithelial layer and densely packed collagen was observed by day 12.

Conclusion:

  • Antibacterial coatings for medical implants are under development using this material.
  • Testing in animal models to test the efficacy of these coatings is underway.
  • The best approach is to design hydrogel-based wound dressings using this biomaterial.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. A new biomaterial is derived from the polymer pullulan which can be used to disinfect wounds and hasten the process of healing, as seen in mouse models. Explain the working and efficacy of the biomaterial. (250 words).