Burns are injuries involving tissue damage due to contact with heat, radiation, chemicals, or electricity. Burns are challenging to heal and require patient stabilization, infection prevention, and optimal functional recovery. Burn victims are at risk of infection and systemic complications, depending on the burn’s extent and depth, the patient’s age and overall condition, and any pre-existing conditions. In Indonesia, burns have a relatively high prevalence, affecting 1.3% of the entire population.
Recognizing the significance of developing burn treatments, UGM students have developed a new approach to address this issue. They utilized yellow onion skin waste in the form of bilayer nanofiber. This research was conducted by Acenofer team consisting of Naufal Ahmad Fauzy (Pharmacy 2021) as the leader, along with four colleagues: Zulfa Nailil Muna (Physics 2022), Puspita Nur Rahmawati (Biology 2022), Tika Nur Amini (Biology 2022), and Erwinda Dwi Chofifah (Biology 2022), under the guidance of Dr. Retno Murwanti, MP, Ph.D.
“In this research, we used yellow onion skins due to their high levels of quercetin and to preserve the environment. We modified the preparation into bilayer nanofibers to enhance extract penetration into the wound and prevent infection,” Naufal explained.
The research process involved various stages, including extraction, preparation, characterization, in vivo testing, and data analysis. Characterization performed using multiple parameters, including SEM analysis, FTIR, tensile strength test, and contact angle tests. In vivo testing followed by histopathological analysis to observe the healing process within the skin layers.
“Our research showed promising results. The nanofibers were successfully produced with good quality, were not easily damaged, had appropriately sized structures, and in vivo testing showed wound closure by the preparation,” Zulfa said.
This research is expected to become an alternative treatment by leveraging Indonesia’s natural resources, with further research advancing to clinical trials and commercialization for public use. [Writer: Erwinda Dwi Chofifah]
