Preparation of double network hydrogel wound dressing based on starch/hyaluronic acid through host-guest interaction...

An ideal wound dressing should possess multiple functions such as self-healing, antibacterial properties, and biodegradability. To achieve this goal, this study utilized the host-guest interaction between adamantane groups and β-cyclodextrin, as well as the Diels-Alder reaction between furan groups and maleimide groups, to prepare a novel dual-network hydrogel (DN-Gel) based on starch and hyaluronic acid. The preparation conditions of DN-Gel were optimized through single-factor experiments. Under the optimized conditions, the mass percentages of diene molecules, dienophile molecules, and guest molecules in the dried gel were 45.45 %, 45.45 %, and 9.09 %, respectively. The results showed that DN-Gel exhibited good pH sensitivity (SR was minimal at pH = 2 and maximal at pH = 8), self-healing ability (12h), degradability (38.97 % within 28 days), and biocompatibility (cell viability higher than 80 %). Furhermore, inhibition zone diameters are more than 20 mm for both S. aureus and E. coli. The drug release rates of the curcumin-loaded hydrogel exhibits pH dependence, with values of 47.49 % (pH = 7.4), 55.01 % (pH = 6.5), and 44.77 % (pH = 1.2) within 33 h, respectively. The release behavior followed the first-order kinetic model. In vivo experiments have shown that this hydrogel has a healing effect on chronic diabetic wounds, and when it is loaded with curcumin, the wound healing effect is even better. Given its comprehensive performance, DN-Gel is expected to become an ideal wound dressing material.