Development and characterization of thermo-sensitive films containing asiaticoside based on polyvinyl alcohol and Methylcellulose

This study aims at developing thermo-sensitive films and exploring their properties, especially as an asiaticoside-loaded wound dressing. The films were prepared from polyvinyl alcohol and methylcellulose by the casting method. The properties of films including mechanical properties, water vapor permeability and water solubility were evaluated based on the single factor design and the orthogonal design to optimize the formulation of thermo-sensitive films. Others, such as in vitro release, stability, skin irritation and in vivo wound healing effect were also investigated. The thermo-sensitive films mainly composited polyvinyl alcohol and methylcellulose were prepared within the range of temperature from 32 to 35 °C in 4 min. They were transparent, nonirritating, water-proof and biodegradable. A sustained-release pattern of the films was observed in vitro by the Franz diffusion cell. The accelerated stability test has illustrated that the formulation remained stable for 6 months. From the macroscopic and histological examination, it was observed that the asiaticoside-loaded films had better healing effect on the wounds than the control formulation (normal saline), suggesting the asiaticoside-loaded films were effective to promote wounds healing, reduce the administered frequency, improve the biomedical efficacy and enhance the patient acceptability both from economic and aesthetic perspectives.

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