Recent Progress in Polyphenol-Based Hydrogels for Wound Treatment and Monitoring

Hydrogels have received increasing attention in biomedical applications owing to their controllable physical and chemical properties, high biocompatibility, and structural similarity to natural biological tissues. Among them, polyphenol-based hydrogels stand out due to the inherent antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, along with their excellent biocompatibility and functional versatility. These features make them highly promising for advanced wound treatment and monitoring applications. This review highlights recent advances in polyphenol-based hydrogels for wound management and monitoring, with an emphasis on their innovative design and integrated functionality. Firstly, an overview of structure, classification, and biological function of polyphenols is introduced. On this basis, the construction methods, functions, and applications of several representative polyphenol-based hydrogels are discussed. Then, the application of polyphenol-based hydrogels on wound treatment and monitoring is comprehensively summarized. In the end, the recently developed microneedles based on polyphenol hydrogels in combination with artificial intelligence in wound management are also discussed. This review aims to provide valuable insights for advancing polyphenol-based hydrogels, not only in their design, preparation, and application for wound healing and intelligent management but also in their future development potential.