Abstract

Collagen, a unique connective tissue protein finds extensive application as biomaterial in wound healing, as drug carrier, cosmetics, etc. A work has been undertaken to study the stabilization of collagen using di and trihydric phenols -oxazolidine E Tanning Matrices.

Resorcinol-oxazolidine E Tanning Matrix treated collagen has been found to be more stable than that of sequential combination tannages with the same materials. The study has demonstrated that oxazolidine E underwent ring opening to form the N-methylol intermediate and reacted with the hydrogen bonds of resorcinol to form the Tanning Matrix. The Tanning Matrix then penetrated into the collagen fibres and by aggregation prevented the denaturation of collagen fibres with heating. The next reaction is the involvement of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, and the aldehyde groups of oxazolidine E in reaction with basic amino acid side chains of collagen as the major force involved in the stabilization of collagen. In this way, a multiple point combination tanning occurs with the Tanning Matrix creating a high level stabilization of collagen and high hydrothermal stability.