Biomaterial from fungal extract helps heal wounds

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Pullulan polymer

• The biomaterial is derived from the polymer pullulan which is secreted by the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans.
• It is an exopolysaccharide, that is, this polymer is secreted by the fungus itself into the medium on which it is growing.
• Pullulan as a biomaterial is already successful and widely used commercially.
• It is exploited in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry because of its non-toxic, non-mutagenic and non-immunogenic properties.
• In the biomedicine sector, it has been used for drug and gene delivery

Disinfecting the wounds and hastening the process of healing

• Pullulan is basically a polymeric chain of glucose by keeping the biocompatible carbohydrate backbone of the polymer intact and adding some quaternary ammonium groups, make the polymer positively charged
• They process the polymer to get a powder which is water-soluble. This solution can be applied on the wound surface and then covered with sterile gauze. This can also be used in a gel form.
• With this gel the wounds can be disinfected and also healed faster.