Synthesis and Characterization of a Propolis-Containing Cellulosic Textile Functionalized with a Crosslinked Agar/κ-Carrageenan Biopolymer Network: Structure–Property Relationships and In Vitro Biological Responses
- 1Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
The development of multifunctional wound dressings based on bioactive polymers offers an opportunity to combine moisture management, structural stability, and biological functionality within a single material. However, the integration of crosslinked agar/κ-carrageenan coatings, a poly(acrylic acid)/sodium hypophosphite (PAA/SHP) crosslinking system, and propolis on cellulosic textile substrates, together with the relationships between material properties and in vitro biological responses, warrants further investigation. In this study, a functionalized cellulosic textile incorporating agar, κ-carrageenan, PAA, SHP, and propolis (PS) was prepared and characterized. The curing conditions of 140 °C for 15 min were selected based on previous work and adopted in the present study. The resulting materials were characterized by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling measurements, and tensile testing. The functionalized textiles exhibited a mass gain of 23.03% and a swelling ratio of 630%, indicating substantial material incorporation and water uptake. The wet breaking force reached 4.89 N, demonstrating measurable mechanical performance under hydrated conditions. ATR-FTIR findings were consistent with chemical interactions associated with the proposed PAA-mediated crosslinking mechanism, while SEM revealed morphological features consistent with the formation of a polymeric coating on the cellulose fibers. The complete formulation exhibited an apparent relative HepG2 MTT response of 132.5% after 72 h, indicating metabolic activity above that of the control under the tested conditions. The propolis-containing materials also exhibited antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, with inhibition zones of 39.2 mm and 29.3 mm, respectively, and demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Further evaluation using MCF-7 breast cancer cells and non-tumorigenic MCF10A breast epithelial cells revealed differential cellular viability responses. MCF-7 cell viability decreased to 25.4% and 17.2% after 24 and 48 h, respectively, under the tested conditions. These findings highlight the material’s water-absorption capacity, mechanical performance, antimicrobial activity, and differential cell-based responses. The novelty of this study lies in integrating these components within a cellulosic textile and evaluating its physicochemical, mechanical, antimicrobial, and cellular responses. Overall, the results support further investigation of the prepared material as a candidate bioactive wound dressing. Nevertheless, additional studies are required to establish the nature and extent of covalent grafting, quantify propolis loading and release, and assess compatibility with wound-relevant cells, particularly human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes.
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BibTeX
@article{elghoul2026synthesis,
title = {{Synthesis and Characterization of a Propolis-Containing Cellulosic Textile Functionalized with a Crosslinked Agar/κ-Carrageenan Biopolymer Network: Structure–Property Relationships and In Vitro Biological Responses}},
author = {Yassine El-Ghoul and Sami M. Alharbi and Suliman S. Aba-alkhayl and Bechir Hammami},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/polym18212794},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2794},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Synthesis and Characterization of a Propolis-Containing Cellulosic Textile Functionalized with a Crosslinked Agar/κ-Carrageenan Biopolymer Network: Structure–Property Relationships and In Vitro Biological Responses
AU - Yassine El-Ghoul
AU - Sami M. Alharbi
AU - Suliman S. Aba-alkhayl
AU - Bechir Hammami
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/08
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18212794
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/21/2794
AB - The development of multifunctional wound dressings based on bioactive polymers offers an opportunity to combine moisture management, structural stability, and biological functionality within a single material. However, the integration of crosslinked agar/κ-carrageenan coatings, a poly(acrylic acid)/sodium hypophosphite (PAA/SHP) crosslinking system, and propolis on cellulosic textile substrates, together with the relationships between material properties and in vitro biological responses, warrants further investigation. In this study, a functionalized cellulosic textile incorporating agar, κ-carrageenan, PAA, SHP, and propolis (PS) was prepared and characterized. The curing conditions of 140 °C for 15 min were selected based on previous work and adopted in the present study. The resulting materials were characterized by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling measurements, and tensile testing. The functionalized textiles exhibited a mass gain of 23.03% and a swelling ratio of 630%, indicating substantial material incorporation and water uptake. The wet breaking force reached 4.89 N, demonstrating measurable mechanical performance under hydrated conditions. ATR-FTIR findings were consistent with chemical interactions associated with the proposed PAA-mediated crosslinking mechanism, while SEM revealed morphological features consistent with the formation of a polymeric coating on the cellulose fibers. The complete formulation exhibited an apparent relative HepG2 MTT response of 132.5% after 72 h, indicating metabolic activity above that of the control under the tested conditions. The propolis-containing materials also exhibited antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, with inhibition zones of 39.2 mm and 29.3 mm, respectively, and demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Further evaluation using MCF-7 breast cancer cells and non-tumorigenic MCF10A breast epithelial cells revealed differential cellular viability responses. MCF-7 cell viability decreased to 25.4% and 17.2% after 24 and 48 h, respectively, under the tested conditions. These findings highlight the material’s water-absorption capacity, mechanical performance, antimicrobial activity, and differential cell-based responses. The novelty of this study lies in integrating these components within a cellulosic textile and evaluating its physicochemical, mechanical, antimicrobial, and cellular responses. Overall, the results support further investigation of the prepared material as a candidate bioactive wound dressing. Nevertheless, additional studies are required to establish the nature and extent of covalent grafting, quantify propolis loading and release, and assess compatibility with wound-relevant cells, particularly human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -