Download - FLAX FIBRES FOR HEALTH BENEFIT
FLAX FIBRES FOR HEALTH BENEFIT
I Allan1, C Morvan2, S. Alix2, S. Marais2, L. Lebrun2 , L Mikhalovska1, S Mikhalovsky1
1Faculty of Science and Engineering , University of Brighton, Brighton, UK2UMR 6522 CNRS/6037 CNRS, Université de Rouen, Faculté des Sciences, France
E mail: [email protected]
4) replacement of the synthetic polymers in Food Packaging
Conclusions• Flax fibres were found to be efficient reservoirs for antimicrobial agents or other drugs due to their high swellability and charged surface and could be used for biomedical applications such as sutures and wound dressings.
•Natural composites from flax fibres and flax derived mucilage may be used for food packaging.
Acknowledgements This work is funded by the Interreg IVA (South) project 4044
'Flax – Increasing Its Value for Society‘ - 'Le lin – augmenter sa valeur pour la société’
3) as drug delivery biomaterials
The swelling rate of commercial cotton, and flax materials were compared. Flax
fibre swelling appeared significantly higher than cotton fibre mainly due to the
presence of encrusting polymers in flax that bear negative charges. After
degumming the swelling decreased but remained slightly higher than cotton
possibly due to the mercerization of cellulose.
The total amounts of non-cellulosic substances (hemicelluloses and pectins) were
measured using the colorimetric methods.
Adsorption of Methylene blue (MB) per fibre specific surface area was measured.
It was found that flax fibres adsorb MB in much higher quantities than cotton
fibres.
Flax fibres bound a dye much stronger that cotton fibres In this work we aimed to study the
potential of biocomposites of flax fibres with mucilage for biomedical
materials, drug delivery and food packaging
1) as reservoir/delivery of antimicrobial agents for post- surgical use
Human skin cells were grown
on flax fibres.
A vast increase in cell
numbers was observed
between 3-18 days.
Fibronectin deposition (green,
above left) indicates a
potential for cell remodelling
of the fibres by production of
nascent extra-cellular matrix.
2) in vivo use as human tissue regeneration scaffolds
A B C
(A) flax fibres, (B) and (C) flax fibres with S. aureus MRSA bacterium.
(B) Live (green) S. aureus MRSA bacterium adhering to flax fibres and
(C) dead (yellow) S. aureus MRSA following contact with flax fibres infused with an antimicrobial agent (2% chlorhexidine).
This may be indicative of a biocompatibility of flax fibres with human cells.
•Bio-based materials, made only from renewable resources were
investigated.
•Natural biocomposite materials were prepared from a cross-linked natural
matrix and natural fibres.
•Non-woven flax fibres were chosen as a reinforcement substance.
•Mucilage polysaccharides, extracted from linseeds, were used as a matrix.
'Flax – Increasing Its Value for Society‘ - 'Le lin – augmenter sa valeur pour la société’