Indian Scientist Develops Eco-Friendly Wound Dressing From Seaweed Agar For Diabetic Patients

According to the scientist, adding several active molecules like sericin, iodine, and citric acid to this dressing has been tested along with agar in terms of their healing and containment properties regarding chronic wounds. Currently, international players hold a monopoly in advanced wound dressing in India.

Dr Vivek Verma, a scientist from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, has revealed that a cost-effective dressing for chronic wound patients has been developed from agarose, a natural polymer derived from the seaweed agar, by adding several additive molecules like iodine and citric acid. The invention has already bagged a national patent and has been validated and tested in-vitro and in-vivo on rats.

Due to the increasing number of cases, India is often called the "diabetes capital of the world". Studies suggest that the diabetic population in the country will reach an alarming 80 million by 2030. The disease is more prevalent in urban parts of the country. 

"The advanced wound dressing has potential to be converted into a commercial product for advanced wound care, and it can provide an active bandage for treatment and management of chronic wounds at a competitive cost", Dr Verma stated.

This advanced dressing can be used as a single layer, bilayer, or multi-layered hydrogel film depending on the wound's severity and type. In diabetic patients wounds tend to heal more slowly and progress more quickly. Due to the body's inability to heal the wound, even small cuts and grazes can turn into an ulcer. Diabetic foot ulcers are a major reason for lower limb amputations, disability, and death among patients. 

"At present, the dressing has been tested on a rat model with a small-sized circular wound of diameter 5 mm with single layer dressing incorporated with only one active ingredient", India's Ministry of Science and Technology said in a press statement on Friday.

The Indian ministry also stated that the efficacy of the dressing will be soon tested in the treatment of large wounds in big animals like rabbits or pigs. If successful, then clinical trials will be conducted to test its efficacy on humans.