Solvent exchange in electrohydrodynamically atomized starch particles, and subsequent lyophilization to improve blood clotting performance

Abstract Electrohydrodynamic discretized starch suspension after contacting with a crosslinker solution was subjected to solvent exchange in phased and optimal manner prior to lyophilization. The resulting nucleation and growth of new solvent crystals in the gelled droplet could provide a porous structure with internal surface area to the extent of 13.4 m 2 g −1 , and water absorption reaching 3.26 times the dry weight of particles. These properties promoted rapid plasma uptake, and aggregation of platelets, while the tranexamic acid loaded a priori in the precursor suspension stabilized the blood clot against fibrinolysis. In vitro clotting time was reduced from 155 s to 64 s due to presence of microparticles (MPs). The clot strength and formation kinetics from the thromboelastography data supports this observation. The experiments with rat injury models reveal a significant reduction in clotting time (to less than a minute), and cumulative blood loss in reference to those observed for a commercially available hemostat. The antimicrobial activity of these MPs against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was found superior than commercially available hemostat. These uniform MPs of equivalent diameter on the order of 100 µm provided uniform coverage on hard to reach places of wound site, and were found to degrade to 90% of its initial weight within 6 d of exposure to phosphate buffer saline at 37 °C which conforms to the time scale of skin regeneration process.