Polysaccharide Composites with Rosa canina for Sustained Anti-Inflammatory Skin Therapy

This study presents novel skin-compatible biomaterials based on guar gum and dextran sulfate matrices, incorporating softwood lignin, lignin esterified with aspartic acid, and <i>Rosa canina</i> extract. The materials were prepared via casting and evaluated for physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties. Spectroscopic analyses confirmed successful lignin esterification, with new carbonyl and amide peaks and a nitrogen signal (3.83%) detected. <i>Rosa canina</i> extract enhanced the Young's modulus from 1.42 MPa to 3.18 MPa and reduced elongation at break from 34.88 mm to 25.19 mm. The combination of esterified lignin and <i>Rosa canina</i> showed the greatest mechanical reinforcement (3.74 MPa modulus, 23.78 mm elongation). Swelling capacity decreased from 0.40 to 0.23 g water/g material and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² = 0.991-0.998). The release of <i>Rosa canina</i> bioactives followed the Makoid-Banakar model, indicating a transition from rapid to sustained release. All formulations exhibited anti-inflammatory activity with over 45% protein denaturation inhibition, peaking at 61.58% for the <i>Rosa canina</i>-only sample. In vitro biocompatibility assays demonstrated over 80% cell viability, confirming the potential of these biomaterials for dermal applications.