Abstract

Biomaterials comprise a scientific field where synthetic materials are developed for pertinent biological functions, yielding a wide diversity of new products. Although widely employed, they still require improvement for therapeutic purposes. The objective of this study was to develop poly (N-2-vinyl-pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVAl), clay, and N-methyl glucamine hydrogels for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The characterization techniques used were tumescence, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Clay and antimoniate were found to disperse homogeneously in the polymeric matrix. Evaluation of cytotoxicity showed negative result. The in vivo tests used 12 BALB/c infected with 3 × 104 amastigotes/mL of L. (L.) amazonensis. All mice (4/4) from group II presented reduction of diameter wounds after submitted to PVP, PVAl, clay (1,5%), and N-methyl glucamine (2.3 mg) hydrogels, differently from group I PVP, PVAl, and N-methyl glucamine (1 mg) and III (control). Classified as results of a clinical cure, drug release was efficient and such a matrix is a potential contributor to an alternative human therapy capable of increasing the quality of life of a patient who cannot use medication in the conventional way because of side effects.

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