The so-called non-woven medical bandage from microfungal fibers of Dr. Claro Santiago Jr. and Rhodora Flores of the Department of Science and Technology's Industrial Technology Development Institute is made from the fibers of the edible mushroom volvariella volvacea, fibrous materials from agro-industrial wastes, alginate or stabilizer and textile fiber.
In the paper about their invention, Santiago and Flores said the chitosan compound in volvariella volvacea induces the repair of tissues while inhibiting microbial growth. It is also non-toxic, non-allergenic, biodegradable, hydrophilic and permeates oxygen.
In contrast, commercial medical bandage made from synthetic materials or natural fibers only protects skin from infection but does not heal wounds.
The new bandage is cheap to produce because its chitosan can be sourced from the said mushroom that grows anywhere in the Philippines, particularly during the rainy season. The mushroom can also be cultured and the scientists have developed a production technique that uses coconut water disposed by food processing and copra plants.
Chitosan is also available from shells of crabs, lobsters and shrimps or exoskeletons of marine zooplankton, wings of certain insects such as butterflies and ladybugs, and in the cell wall of yeast and other fungi. But getting the compound from these sources is costly and exhaustible.
