Incorporation of lemon myrtle oil (Backhousia citriodora) and nanocellulose into novel hydrogel films for wound dressing applications: Physicochemical and biological evaluation

Incorporation of lemon myrtle oil (Backhousia citriodora) and nanocellulose into novel hydrogel films for wound dressing applications: Physicochemical and biological evaluation

Chronic wounds pose a significant global healthcare challenge, especially in regional, rural, and remote areas. They are non-healing wounds that have failed to progress through physiological repair processes within 12 weeks of the initial acute wound. In Australia, First Nations communities are at a higher risk of developing chronic wounds, and this has been linked to a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Current chronic wound management solutions can be expensive, require specialised medical expertise, and may not be culturally appropriate. There is a great need for cost-effective, easily applied wound dressings to reduce chronic wounds. This research aimed to develop and evaluate sustainable, bioactive hydrogel film prototypes that could be used as wound dressings. The first prototype incorporated lemon myrtle oil (Backhousia citriodora), a First Nations traditional bush remedy with known antimicrobial properties, into an aloe vera and sodium alginate hydrogel. The second and third prototypes incorporated nanocellulose to provide greater mechanical strength for potential use in high-friction and penetrating wounds. Physicochemical and biological assessments based on ideal wound dressing properties were used to evaluate and optimise the hydrogel prototypes in comparison to a commercial hydrogel wound dressing. The findings of this PhD research project demonstrate the potential for integrating First Nations traditional bush remedies with novel hydrogel nanotechnology to develop more affordable and effective wound dressings that could be suitable for further development, and of particular use in rural and remote healthcare settings.

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