POROUS POLYMER SCAFFOLDS DERIVED FROM BIORESOURCES FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The development of sustainable materials in medical treatment for the controlled release of drugs has generated interest in the field in view of the environmental and energy challenges faced during the continuous production of materials in the sector. In the present study, the potential use of sponges based on combinations of three types of starch (corn, wheat, and rice starch) with poly(vinyl alcohol) was investigated to evaluate their morphological properties, swelling ratio, in vitro biodegradation, antibacterial activity, hemolysis, and blood clotting index. The synthesis process is based on a cost-effective method for wide application in the medical industry, yielding sponges with a high swelling index of up to 8 times the original volume. A slight antibacterial activity was also observed when rice and corn starch were used. In addition, different morphological and physical properties were observed depending on the type of starch added to the formulation, allowing a variety of responses to treatment requirements, depending on factors such as the duration of treatment and the patient’s blood characteristics in terms of clot formation or immune response.