Biopolymers for Encapsulation of Antiviral Natural Compounds: Applications for Biomaterials and Textiles for Healthcare Products

Natural compounds that have been used with several traditional methods for years may exhibit one or more antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. Today, as the value of antiviral natural compounds is increasingly recognized, the number of studies on their isolation, extraction, purification, and characterization are accelerating. However, the number of studies on producing antiviral biomaterials and textile-based healthcare products are still limited. This chapter provides a systematic overview of this topic. Following a discussion of the classification and properties of biopolymers, the sources and mechanisms of action of antiviral natural compounds are described. The literature on biopolymer-based biomaterials and textile products containing antiviral natural compounds has been compiled and presented. Since there are a limited number of studies on the subject in the literature, production methods of biomaterials and textile-based healthcare products are given in order to shed light on future studies. The chapter is completed by emphasizing the potential of these healthcare products.