Anti-Bacterial Activity of Chitosan-Alginate-Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Hydrogel Containing Entrapped Peppermint Essential Oil

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) of chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (SA) containing various contents of peppermint essential oil (PEO), as a volatile bioactive agent, were prepared in order to investigate the effect of the oil on the anti-bacterial activity of the CS-SA hydrogels. The gelation of the PEC was performed in the presence of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Optical microscopic images exhibited uniform dispersion and entrapment of the oil within the PEC matrix. In-vitro evaluation tests of the hydrogels demonstrated the anti-bacterial activity of the PEO, revealing its potential for biomedical applications.