Development of wound/burn dressing material with astaxanthin-imprinted phema based polymer

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment and is commonly found in nature in organisms such as algae, fungi, bacteria, algae and some marine creatures. Astaxanthin, which has high antioxidant properties, can be found in high amounts in seafood, especially algae, krill, shrimp and salmon. Astaxanthin belongs to the carotenoid family and has particularly red-pink hues. It has been researched that astaxanthin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on human health, and its potential benefits are known, especially for skin health, regarding wounds and burns. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can promote healing by fighting free radicals in the skin and reducing inflammation. In this study, Astaxanthin imprinted HEMA based polymers were synthesized and cryogels were synthesized using these polymers containing different amounts of Astaxanthin. Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)-based cryogels were characterized by swelling tests, scanning electron microscopy. Release kinetics were examined depending on the amount of Asx-MIP embedded into the cryogels; MTT assay was applied to examine the effect of astaxanthin on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF, (CF-1) (ATCC® SCRC-1040™)) cell line. As a result, it has been shown that astaxanthin contained in cryogels has a cell proliferation-enhancing effect, and it has been proven that MIP cryogels containing astaxanthin have the potential to facilitate wound healing and can be used as wound/burn dressing material.