Malang (malangkota.go.id) – Five students of the Faculty of Dentistry, Brawijaya University, created an innovation of gelfoam combination of chitosan-avocado seed extract (persea americana mill) for wound healing after tooth extraction. Based on basic health research by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia in 2018, the prevalence of tooth extraction in Indonesia reached 7,9 percent.
Gelfoam or gelatin foam can control bleeding after tooth extraction in less than 10 minutes. This gelatin sponge comes from pure gelatin in the form of a flexible, porous, and easily absorbent sponge. On the other hand, Indonesia is the third shrimp producing country in the world. Shrimp shells reach 45-55% of the total weight with low economic value and are considered waste even though they contain chitin that can produce chitosan.
Chitosan has various special properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, can be a coagulant, and can be absorbed by the body. The combination of chitosan and other bioactive molecules improves mechanical properties, protein absorption, and biomineralization. "Therefore, we combine chitosan with bioactive molecules from avocado seed extract," said Esra Kusteniuk Simanjuntak.
Avocado seeds contain essential oils, bioactive compounds, fiber, and carbon sources up to 15% of the total weight and can be an alternative medicine for various diseases. The unavailability of commercial herbal gelfoam products encouraged the five students to innovate a combination of chitosan and active ingredients of avocado seed extract to support the efficacy of gelfoam.
"This innovation is expected to be an alternative for healing wounds after tooth extraction," he said.
The five students are Oliresianela, Esra Kusteniuk Simanjuntak, Fiorina Divasinta Mirelia Marsudi, Langit Jingga, and Nabila Oktavina Dwiputri. They are supervised by drg. Diah, Sp. Perio. (UB Public Relations/say/ram)
