Stingless bee honey incorporated cellulose hydrogel/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) patch as an alternative treatment for aphthous stomatitis

Abstract

Aphthous stomatitis is a disease that often reappears, causing irritation and pain. Common topical medications to treat aphthous stomatitis are fast-dissolving synthetic drugs, sometimes with limited therapeutic effectiveness. In this study, a patch, composed of a stingless bee honey incorporated cellulose hydrogel layer and a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) layer, was fabricated as an alternative treatment for aphthous stomatitis. The composition of the honey patches was verified by the presence of a distinct physical structure, considerable wettability records and lower degradation percentages on the layers containing higher PLGA concentrations. The honey patches were capable to retard Eschericia coli in the early hours (0.5-2 hours) and Staphylococcus aureus in the late hours (2-4 hours) of application, with tolerable cell viability and cell closure. The therapeutic values of the honey patches in retarding bacterial growth and inducing cell closure recommend the developed patches to be used in aphthous stomatitis treatment.