Preparation of carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol wound dressing composite immobilized with anthocyanin extract for colorimetric monitoring of wound healing and prevention of wound infection

Novel aerogel-like wound dressing able to sense the healing progress was developed. Anthocyanins (Ac) have been reported as a significant pH-sensory extract with various biological activities. Herein, anthocyanins were extracted from red-cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. Var. capitata). The anthocyanin probe was integrated as a water-soluble direct dye at various concentrations into carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol composite in the presence of potassium aluminum sulfate mordant. The generated composites were then freeze-dried to provide the corresponding aerogel-like smart wound dressing to function as an antibacterial and biochromic bulk presenting a comfort dressing biosensor to monitor the progress of a wound healing. Reducing the pH value of a wound mimicking fluid resulted in a hypsochromic shift from 592 to 446 nm. The halochromic activity of anthocyanin showed colorimetric changes from purple to pink. The colorimetric measurements of the prepared anthocyanin-containing aerogel-like diagnostic assay were explored by CIE Lab coordinates and UV–Vis absorption spectra. The effects of the anthocyanin content on the morphology, stiffness, air-permeability, and mechanical behavior of the aerogel-like wound dress were explored by various analytical methods. Both cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity of were investigated.