Novel injectable bandage stops bleeding and promotes wound healing

Despite all the recent advances in therapeutics, mortality rates from hemorrhaging are still very high,  There is an unmet need for drugs and techniques that can rapidly achieve hemostasis.

Researchers from Texas A&M University have developed a therapeutic hydrogel for injecting into bleeding wounds that achieve rapid hemostasis. The new injectable hydrogel material consists of two-dimensional (2D) nanosilicates, and a thickening agent used in food preparation called kappa carrageenan.

The study “Nanoengineered Injectable Hydrogels for Wound Healing Application” was recently published in  April issue of  Journal Acta Biomaterialia. 

gummies made from kappa

Kappa carrageenan is very similar to Jell-O and is obtained from seaweed and is used as a suspending and emulsifying stabilizer, thickener, binder and gelling agent.  The carrageenan, when mixed with clay-based nanoparticles, results in the formation of an injectable gel.

The gel is in liquid form when under pressure or loaded in the syringe but solidifies as soon as it comes in contact with tissue including blood. The negatively charged nanosilicates bring about the deposition of plasma protein and platelets, setting the clotting cascade in motion. In vitro studies, the clotting time was reduced from 6 minutes to 2 minutes.

The injectable gelatin is not electrically neutral and hence plasma protein and platelets from blood are deposited on the gel surface and trigger a blood clotting cascade. In addition, nanosilicates significantly suppresses the release of entrap vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and facilitate in vitro tissue regeneration and wound healing.

The presence of nanosilicates in the hydrogel structure delays the release of therapeutics and researchers are looking at embeddings growth factors, proteins, and other medicines to accelerate wound healing.

The injectable dressing is cheap and can be stored at room temperature for a long time, making it useful is battle wounds or accidents. 

Abstract

Texas A&M News Release

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