Multifunctional Chitosan Hydrogel Integrated with Penicillin-Grafted MXene for Synergistic Antibacterial Application

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanomedicine

Background:

• Traditional antibacterial hydrogels face limitations in efficacy and functionality.
• There is a need for advanced hydrogel systems with improved antibacterial properties for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multifunctional hydrogel with enhanced antibacterial activity and wound healing properties.
• To investigate the synergistic antibacterial effects of carboxymethyl chitosan, tannic acid, and penicillin-loaded MXene.

Main Methods:

• A one-step synthesis of a composite hydrogel using carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) as the matrix, tannic acid (TA) as the cross-linker, and penicillin (PG)-loaded MXene as the drug additive.
• Physical cross-linking via ionic and hydrogen bonds, characterization of injectability, self-healing, and tissue adhesiveness.
• Evaluation of photothermal properties, synergistic antibacterial effects, biocompatibility, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and hemorrhage control.

Main Results:

• The synthesized hydrogel exhibited excellent injectability, self-healing, and tissue adhesiveness due to physical cross-linking.
• The incorporation of penicillin-loaded MXene provided photothermal properties, leading to synergistic antibacterial activity.
• The hydrogel demonstrated favorable biocompatibility, ROS scavenging, and rapid hemorrhage arrest.

Conclusions:

• The developed multifunctional hydrogel shows significant promise for advanced antibacterial therapy and wound care applications.
• The combination of CMCS, TA, and PG-loaded MXene creates a synergistic system with enhanced therapeutic outcomes.
• This hydrogel platform offers a versatile solution for challenging biomedical needs.