Obtenção de membranas porosas de quitosana / Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C. E. Jarvins para aplicação como biomaterial.

Abstract

The present work aimed to develop and comparatively evaluate chitosan porous membranes with different concentrations of Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C. E. Jarvis (insulin) to be applied as a biomaterial. The collection, botanic identification of the plant and obtainment of the crude ethanolic extract (CEE) was carried out. The solvent evaporation technique was used in order to obtain the chitosan membranes and membranes with CEE. The membranes were neutralized with ammonium hydroxide, placed to dry at room temperature and stored individually. Three groups of membranes were formed: CM – Chitosan membrane, CM5 – Chitosan membrane with 5% of CEE and CM20 – Chitosan membrane with 20% of CEE. The membranes were characterized by means of the Wettability and the Swelling Degree Tests. The wettability test revealed that all the membranes presented contact angle values lower than 90º, characterizing a hydrophilic profile, and that the presence of the plant drug promoted an increase in their hydrophilicity. The analysis of the swelling demonstrated that the averages of the masses were correspondingly higher in the swollen form than in the dry condition, and there were significant differences between the groups. It is concluded, by the characterizations carried out, that the membranes presented favorable and expected characteristics for use as a biomaterial.