Hydrogel loading 2D montmorillonite exfoliated by anti-inflammatory Lycium barbarum L. polysaccharides for advanced wound dressing

Abstract

Designing wound dressing materials with hemocompatibility, suitable mechanical properties, outstanding hemostatic effects and anti-inflammatory activity is of great practical significance for wound management. Herein, a hemostatic hydrogel loaded with Lycium barbarum L. polysaccharide (LBP)-functionalized ultrathin MMT nanosheets (L-MMT NSs) was fabricated for efficient hemostasis and wound healing. Loading the L-MMT NSs into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), the obtained P-L-MMT hydrogel exhibited a 3D porous structure with good swelling properties, cytocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and anti-inflammatory activity. Importantly, in vivo investigations demonstrated that the P-L-MMT hydrogel exerts outstanding hemostasis activity in the hemorrhaging mouse liver model and reduces tissue damage caused by inflammation to shorten wound healing time. Altogether, the convenient exfoliation and functionalization of bulk MMT using LBPs make this inexpensive and rising nanostructure more attractive in the application of nanomedicine. Moreover, due to the synergy between hemostasis and anti-inflammation, this newly developed multifunctional P-L-MMT hydrogel represents a promising material in biomedical fields.