Monday, December 27, 2010

New Propolis Would Care Film Uses Bacterial Cellulose

Agency FAPESP, 12/23/2010

One of the challenges of professionals involved with the recovery of burn patients is to shorten the length of hospitalization to prevent infectious complications. The use of Biocure produced from bacterial cellulose - which enables faster regeneration of skin - is one promising alternative.

Researchers at the Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) in Araraquara, in partnership with Apis Flora of Ribeirao Preto, developed a healing and antimicrobial Biocure based on bacterial cellulose and propolis extract.

The product was tested in vitro with excellent results. "The goal of Biocure, made in the form of film is to alleviate the pain and duration of treatment of patients who suffered burns from the first and second degrees or who have chronic wounds," said Hernane Barud, research coordinator at the Agency FAPESP .

The results so far show a high degree of efficiency of the product, especially in the prevention of microbial growth and sustained release of propolis.

Research Development and evaluation of Biocure obtained from bacterial cellulose and standardized extract of propolis (EPP-AF) for treatment of burns and skin lesions "had the support of FAPESP Program Small Business Innovative Research (PIPE).

The results correspond to the first phase of the project already completed testing in vitro. According Barud, the novelty of the product is the improvement of bacterial cellulose with the addition of propolis extract, pharmaceutical ingredient that had been evaluated for efficacy preclinical and clinical burned by Andresa Berretta , a researcher in charge of Apis Flora.

"Propolis is a resinous material and balsamic obtained by bees associated with the membrane, producing a healing and antimicrobial action. In addition to regenerate the skin, Biocure can kill bacteria that come along with injuries," said the researcher, who recently completed his doctorate at the Chemistry Institute of Unesp in Araraquara Multifunctional Materials Based on Bacterial Cellulose.

Apis Flora holds a patent for the standardized extract of propolis and currently the group prepares for the new request Biocure with propolis. "Not any propolis extract which shows the results, but the company has developed, evaluated, and deposited the patent application," said Barud.

According to Andres, when working with natural derivatives reproducibility from batch to batch it is necessary to obtain drugs. "Our group has evaluated these characteristics and is able to obtain industrially reproducible batches in order to enroll in a drug regulators," she said.

The cellulose membrane is produced by the bacterium Acetobacter xylinum, found primarily in decaying fruit. "The advantage of bacterial cellulose, mainly produced by A. xylinum, is their high mechanical strength afforded by three-dimensional network composed of cellulose nanofibers," he said.

With the new Biocure the patient in treatment could play everyday tasks like bathing or being exposed to the sun. "Because the product is waterproof, it works as a bacteriological barrier while still allowing the wound to breathe," he said.

Controlled release

Barud also says that transparency and adhere easily to the wound bed, the film will allow the constant monitoring of healing. One of the problems in the treatment of burns is that the conventional dressing can damage every time it is removed.

"The new Biocure can be placed directly on the wound without the need to change. Moreover, we develop it with sustained release, ie, it releases slowly propolis, "he said…

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