Accelerated in-vivo infected dermal wound healing with antimicrobial Bio-nanocomposite hydrogel

Abstract

Infected wounds pose significant challenges in clinical settings due to the risk of complications and delayed healing of wounds. The most common wound dressings are cotton balls and gauze, and yet these traditional wound dressings have inherent shortcomings including low antibacterial properties, less oxygen permeation, mechanical properties, and moisture content essential for wound healing of infected wounds. Herein, we fabricate polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/pectin (PVA/CH/PEC) hydrogel loaded with green-synthesized nanometals, and synthetic antibiotics for the treatment of infected wounds with enhanced mechanical properties, synergistic antibacterial properties, higher moisture, and oxygen permeation content. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), synthesized via sea buckthorn leaf extract, and ciprofloxacin were incorporated in the bio-nanocomposite hydrogels. The particle size of AgNPs was found to be in the range of 15 to 42 nm. The synthesized bio-nanocomposite hydrogels confirm its biocompatible nature because of reduction in the percentage hemolysis from 1.7% to 1.4% and cell viability exceeding 87% in PVA/CH/PEC and poly vinyl alcohol/chitosan/pectin–Silver/ ciprofloxacin (PVA/CH/PEC-Ag/cipro) hydrogel membranes, respectively. Microscopic observation of PVA/CH/PEC/Ag-Ciprofloxacin hydrogels demonstrated the last stages of regeneration and skin reformation towards normal skin as compared to hydrogel scaffold without ciprofloxacin. The hydrogel promoted advanced stages of regeneration and skin reformation, signifying its potential as a promising dressing material for infected wound healing applications.