A pH-Mediated Electronic Wound Dressing for Controlled Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Wound Healing Technologies
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Effective topical drug delivery is crucial for chronic wound healing.
• Current methods often lack precise temporal control over medication release.
• Physiological needs at the wound site require dynamic drug administration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an electronic wound dressing for active, on-demand topical drug delivery.
• To enable precise control over drug release kinetics using electrically induced pH changes.
• To investigate the potential of this smart dressing for chronic wound treatment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an electronic dressing with microelectrodes and pH-sensitive hydrogel.
• Incorporation of drug-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (ChPs) into the anode hydrogel layer.
• Application of a DC voltage to induce local pH changes and trigger drug release.
• Evaluation of drug release profiles and biocompatibility.

Main Results:

• The electronic dressing demonstrated electrically controlled pH modulation.
• Drug release was observed in basic conditions near the anode due to ChP dehydration.
• Drug release was negligible in acidic conditions, allowing for precise control.
• Cessation of voltage application led to immediate pH recovery and stopped drug release.
• The dressing exhibited good biocompatibility, with minimal impact on overall wound pH.

Conclusions:

• An electronic wound dressing capable of active, electrically controlled drug delivery was successfully engineered.
• This platform offers precise temporal control over pH-mediated drug release for wound management.
• The developed dressing shows promise as an advanced therapeutic option for chronic wounds.