02340naa a2200277 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902400280006010000210008824501500010926000090025952015220026865000200179065300140181065300170182465300210184165300150186270000220187770000260189970000160192570000160194170000220195770000180197970000200199777300450201721087622019-10-10       2019    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d7 a10.3390/ma120405592DOI1 aSANTOS, A. M. N.  aPhysically Cross-Linked Gels of PVA with Natural Polymers as Matrices for Manuka Honey Release in Wound-Care Applications.h[electronic resource]  c2019  aManuka honey is a well-known natural material from New Zealand, considered to have properties beneficial for burn treatment. Gels created from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blended with natural polymers are potential burn-care dressings, combining biocompatibility with high fluid uptake. Controlled release of manuka honey from such materials is a possible strategy for improving burn healing. This work aimed to produce polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), PVA?sodium carboxymethylcellulose (PVA-CMC), PVA?gelatin (PVA-G), and PVA?starch (PVA-S) cryogels infused with honey and to characterize these materials physicochemically, morphologically, and thermally, followed by in vitro analysis of swelling capacity, degradation/weight loss, honey delivery kinetics, and possible activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The addition of honey to PVA led to many PVA crystals with defects, while PVA?starch?honey and PVA?sodium carboxymethylcellulose?honey (PVA-CMC-H) formed amorphous gels. PVA-CMC presented the highest swelling degree of all. PVA-CMC-H and PVA?gelatin?honey presented the highest swelling capacities of the honey-laden samples. Weight loss/degradation was significantly higher for samples containing honey. Layers submitted to more freeze?thawing cycles were less porous in SEM images. With the honey concentration used, samples did not inhibit S. aureus, but pure manuka honey was bactericidal and dilutions superior to 25% honey were bacteriostatic, indicating the need for higher concentrations to be more effective.  aFood technology  aBurn care  aManuka honey  aNatural polymers  aPVA blends1 aMOREIRA, A. P. D.1 aCARVALHO, C. W. P. de1 aLUCHESE, R.1 aRIBEIRO, E.1 aMCGUINNESS, G. B.1 aMENDES, M. F.1 aOLIVEIRA, R. N.  tMaterialsgv. 12, n. 559, p. 1-22, 2019.