Chitosan-based dihydromyricetin composite hydrogel demonstrating sustained release and exceptional antibacterial...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery
• Antimicrobial Research

Background:

• Plant-derived compounds like dihydromyricetin (DMY) show promise against pathogenic bacteria.
• Poor water solubility of DMY limits its therapeutic application.
• Effective drug delivery systems are needed for natural antibacterial agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a chitosan-based hydrogel for encapsulating and delivering dihydromyricetin (DMY).
• To evaluate the physicochemical properties, antibacterial efficacy, and sustained release of DMY from the hydrogel.
• To explore the potential of this system for enhanced antibacterial therapies.

Main Methods:

• Rapid synthesis of a carboxymethyl chitosan and sodium alginate hydrogel at 25°C.
• Characterization using scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, and thermogravimetric analysis.
• Antibacterial assays against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, and in vitro drug release studies.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel exhibited favorable swelling, injectability, transparency, and self-healing properties.
• DMY-loaded hydrogel achieved over 99% inhibition of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus at 0.4 mg/mL DMY.
• Sustained DMY release for up to 130 hours in various aqueous solutions (acidic, alkaline, PBS).

Conclusions:

• Chitosan-based hydrogels are effective carriers for dihydromyricetin (DMY), addressing its solubility issues.
• The developed hydrogel demonstrates significant antibacterial activity and sustained drug release.
• This system offers a promising platform for synergistic antibacterial applications of plant-derived agents.