Articles

Development of Wound Gauze from Hylocereus undatus Dragon Fruit (Pigment) Peel Extract

The dragon fruit peels (Hylocereus undatus) are typically thrown away as agricultural waste. The disposal of bio-wastes, like peels from dragon fruit and microbiological contamination during their mass breakdown, all contribute to environmental degradation. Peel can be used to extract naturally occurring colour for pigments. The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using the peel of Hylocereus undatus as a coating material for wound healing. The extraction method and potential uses of the pigments derived from the peel will be explored. The study aimed to determine the phytochemical components of Hylocereus undatus (peel) extract and the peel can be utilized as a raw material for pigment extraction due to the betalain content. With the use of a magnetic stirrer extraction, the peel of Hylocereus undatus was extracted with aqueous extraction. Thin layer chromatographic techniques are used to identify the pigment components. In the present study, we recorded both UV-VIS and FT-IR profile of peel extract to known the various phytoconstituents and determine the functional group present in Hylocereus undatus (white dragon fruit). The pigment needs to be applied to the wound gauze, and the stain resistance should be evaluated by determining how well the wound gauze can withstand contamination from the outside coating. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors are interested in Hylocereus undatus peel due to its components, which may have potential health applications such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-cancer characteristics