Biomedical applications of natural rubber latex from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis.

Nayrim Brizuela Guerra, Giovana Sant'Ana Pegorin, Miguel Henrique Boratto, Natan Roberto de Barros, Carlos Frederico de Oliveira Graeff, Rondinelli Donizetti Herculano

Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications 2021 Jul

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The past decades have witnessed tremendous progress in biomaterials in terms of functionalities and applications. To realize various functions such as tissue engineering, tissue repair, and controlled release of therapeutics, a biocompatible and biologically active material is often needed. However, it is a difficult task to find either synthetic or natural materials suitable for in vivo applications. Nature has provided us with the natural rubber latex from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis, a natural polymer that is biocompatible and has been proved as inducing tissue repair by enhancing the vasculogenesis process, guiding and recruiting cells responsible for osteogenesis, and acting as a solid matrix for controlled drug release. It would be extremely useful if medical devices can be fabricated with materials that have these biological properties. Recently, various types of natural rubber latex-based biomedical devices have been developed to enhance tissue repair by taking advantage of its biological properties. Most of them were used to enhance tissue repair in chronic wounds and critical bone defects. Others were used to design drug release systems to locally release therapeutics in a sustained and controlled manner. Here, we summarize recent progress made in these areas. Specifically, we compare various applications and their performance metrics. We also discuss critical problems with the use of natural rubber latex in biomedical applications and highlight future opportunities for biomedical devices produced either with pre-treated natural rubber latex or with proteins purified from the natural rubber latex. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Citation

Nayrim Brizuela Guerra, Giovana Sant'Ana Pegorin, Miguel Henrique Boratto, Natan Roberto de Barros, Carlos Frederico de Oliveira Graeff, Rondinelli Donizetti Herculano. Biomedical applications of natural rubber latex from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis. Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications. 2021 Jul;126:112126