A sustainable and green approach towards the utilization of biopolymers for effective wound dressing applications: A detailed review

Millions of people worldwide are suffering and struggling to obtain the most effective wound care/treatment. In previous years, a steep rise in metabolic disorders such as diabetic wound ulcers has been noticed. The primary function of an effective wound dressing is to protect the wound bed from contamination and provide an accelerated healing environment. Biopolymers, a natural boon, can be used for distinct applications from food packaging, biomedicine, and biomedical applications. Natural and synthetic biopolymers have distinct advantages, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and environmental friendliness. Cellulose, chitosan, alginates, hyaluronic acid, collagen, etc., are natural biopolymers primarily used to develop wound dressings. Most common synthetic biopolymers such as PVA, PCL, and PLA are examples of how an individual biopolymer or its blends can be used to develop an effective wound dressing. Biopolymer properties for wound dressing applications can be improved by applying the concepts of nanotechnology, bioengineering, and drug delivery. These improvements may help meet the current and future wound care demands for tissue repair and restoration. The current review focuses on using natural and synthetic functionalized biopolymers for effective wound-dressing applications and exhibiting their antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.