Kailas Krishnat MALI, Vijay Daulatrao HAVALDAR, Pratiksha Dadaso NARUTE, Niranjan MAHAJAN, Remeth Jacky DIAS
Hacettepe University Journal of the Faculty of Pharmacy - 2026;46(2):137-148
This study developed and evaluated silver sulfadiazine (SSD)-loaded hydrogel films based on sodium alginate (SA) and basil seed mucilage (BSM) for controlled topical delivery. Films were formulated by varying SA (800-1000 mg) and BSM (50-200 mg) with calcium chloride (CaCl2) (5-15%) as the crosslinker and propylene glycol (15% w/w) as a plasticizer. The optimized film (900 mg SA, 100 mg BSM, 10% CaCl2, 30 min) was selected for its superior integrity and swelling. Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed SSD compatibility and uniform polymer dispersion. The optimized film exhibited high swelling (~38 g/g), moderate thickness (~609 µm), excellent flexibility (~252 folds), optimum tensile strength (0.454 kg/cm2) and good surface wettability (~48 derece contact angle), reflecting balanced hydrophilicity and mechanical strength. In vitro release followed Fickian diffusion (Korsmeyer-Peppas n < 0.45), while additional evaluations confirmed appropriate water vapor transmission, microbial barrier properties, and hemocompatibility (< 5% hemolysis), supporting its biocompatibility. Overall, SA-BSM hydrogel films show strong potential as wound dressings, offering a stable, biocompatible matrix for sustained SSD delivery. However, as the study was limited to in vitro evaluations, further in vivo, stability, wound healing, and mechanical studies are warranted.
