Green Chemistry in Medical Applications: Preliminary Assessment of Kuzu Starch Films with Plant-Based Antiseptics

The current state of the natural environment requires medical products, including dressings, to be manufactured in accordance with the principles of a sustainable economy. This assumption is perfectly met by dressings made of renewable materials and additionally filled with natural antiseptics. The use of such plant compounds is consistent with the principles of green chemistry. In this work, films based on Kuzu starch with rooibos extract and chili pepper oil extract were prepared and tested. Starch foil with silver nanoparticles and foil without additives were used as a comparative material. The chemical structures (ATR-FTIR) of the materials obtained, their thermal (DSC) and mechanical properties (tensile strength, hardness), density, swelling, water vapor permeability, water solubility, and effects on bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 were examined. The Kuzu rooibos film had the lowest antimicrobial activity. At the same time, it was the most flexible foil and was characterized by having the best water vapor permeability and water absorption capacity. The starch film with chili extract was the weakest mechanically speaking, but it significantly inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 bacteria at a level similar to that of the film with silver nanoparticles. The preliminary tests carried out on the properties of Kuzu starch films with plant extracts from rooibos tea and chili peppers indicate that they may be suitable for further research on dressing materials.