Fabrication of biocompatible hydrogels from pine resin by VIDHURA MAHENDRA Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development Polytechnic Institute of Leiria Corresponding author email: vidhura.mahendra@ipleiria.pt Abstract This short review aims to look at some of the applications based on potential pine associated resin (rosin) composites for cell culture studies via hydrogel fabrication. Although hitherto there are only a few links to pine resin based hydrogel formation in the public domain, literature work based rosin incorporated drug delivery studies and its associated uses can be useful for extensive works on the cell interaction and viability. Rosin in such case may be optimised to afford similar characteristics hence applications. 1 Introduction Pine resins are exudates ranging from the volatile ter- penes to non-volatile material known as rosin (Figure 1). They are isolated by tapping the tree, approximately contains 70% rosin, 15% turpentine 15% debris and wa- ter [1]. At room temperature it is brittle and softens at higher temperatures. It is used in paper sizing, printing inks, surface coatings, adhesives and rubber additives to- gether with some more advanced applications in biomed- ical and construction industry [2]. Figure 1: Blocks of rosin 2 Hydrogel fabrication from nature The usual composition of hydrogels could be up to 99% water and as a result are similar to human tissues [3]. By tuning their shape, physical properties, chemical com- position and infusing them with cells, biomedical engi- neers have successfully used hydrogels as three– dimen- sional molecular scaffolds that can be filled with cells, molecules for bodily injection or application in order to release drugs and stimulate tissue regeneration. Alginate hydrogels [4] have been studied as it is a biocompati- ble polysaccharide obtained from natural brown seaweed and its degradation kinetics can be tuned to suit drug molecules encapsulated in the gel hence delivery. One of the most useful and naturally biocompati- ble polymers is cellulose and the research works related to them are encouraging. Peng et al [5] have reported on developing novel cellulose based hydrogels to over- come weak mechanical strength, poor biocompatibility and lack of antimicrobial activity which may induce skin allergy of the body in commercial diapers with a sim- ple chemical cross-linking of quaternized cellulose (QC) and native cellulose in sodium hydroxide and urea aque- ous solution. The prepared hydrogel was shown super- absorbent property, high mechanical strength, good bio- compatibility and excellent antimicrobial efficacy against Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Figure 2). The resulting data encouraged the use of these hydrogels for hygienic appli- cation such as disposable diapers. Figure 2: Saccromyces cerevisiae (unicellular fungi) Image credit: http://www.scientistlive.com/content/19429. Kobayashi [6] describes the use of cellulose originat- Scripta-Ingenia (5), Winter Solstice, December 21, 2015. (ISSN: 2183-6000)  http://cdrsp.ipleiria.pt  (351) 244-569441  scripta.ingenia@ipleiria.pt Page 17