Efficacy of a membrane composed of polyvinyl alcohol as a vehicle for releasing of wound healing proteins belonging to latex of Calotropis procera

The soluble proteins extracted from the latex of Calotropis procera (LP) have been shown to powerfully ameliorate different inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, cancer and sepsis. In this study, we developed a polyvinyl alcohol-based membrane as an LP delivery system and determined the efficacy of LP in tissue remodeling and healing upon topical treatment in mice. Aqueous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, 1%, w/v) solution was mixed with LP (0.2% or 1%) while stirring to obtain a biomembrane, which was then applied to wounds. PVA and LP-containing PVA membranes were structurally characterized and standardized by infrared absorption spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. Wound healing parameters included time of healing progress and tissue remodeling (fibroplasia and collagen). LP-containing PVA membrane (0.2% and 1%), but not PVA membrane, significantly accelerated wound healing through faster neo-tissue formation. This process was accompanied by intensified fibroplasia and collagen deposition as revealed by microscopic analyses. It is therefore concluded that topical application of LP on wounds stimulates the healing process and that the use of PVA membranes to carry LP is a reliable approach for topical delivery of pharmacologically active proteins.