Abstract

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A pH-RESPONSIVE NEEM-LOADED ALGINATE HYDROGEL-COATED GAUZE DRESSING FOR DIABETIC WOUND MONITORING

*Anuja Ubale, Sanika Shinde, Professor Divyani Jadhav

ABSTRACT

Diabetic wounds are notoriously difficult to manage. They tend to become infected quickly and take much longer to heal than normal wounds, largely because rising pH levels in the wound create an environment where bacteria thrive. Unfortunately, most wound dressings available today simply cover the wound without giving any real-time indication of what is happening underneath. This study set out to address that gap by developing a herbal hydrogel-coated gauze dressing that can actively signal infection through a visible color change. The dressing was prepared using sodium alginate as the gel-forming base, glycerin as a softening agent, neem leaf extract as a natural antimicrobial ingredient, anthocyanin from red cabbage as a pH-sensitive color indicator, and calcium chloride for crosslinking. Gauze sheets were soaked in the hydrogel mixture and then crosslinked to stabilize the coating. Testing showedthat the finished dressings were flexible enough for practical use, absorbed wound fluid reasonably well, and clearly changed color depending on pH turning reddish under acidic conditions and shifting toward darker brownish-green shades in alkaline environments typical of infected wounds. Overall, the dressing shows real promise as a low-cost, plant-based smart dressing for people managing diabetic wounds.

Keywords: Smart wound dressing, Sodium alginate, Neem extract, Anthocyanin, Diabetic wound, Calcium chloride, Hydrogel gauze, pH-responsive dressing.