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Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
pH-responsive and self-adaptive hydrogel dressing based on a TA/PVA network co-loaded with cannabidiol and mupirocin
Guanjun Ye1, Jiangfei Li2, Heqi Gao1
1Department of Food Nutrition and Health, School of Medicine and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China; National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Synthesis, Transformation and Separation of Extreme Environmental Nutrients, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
Background:
The development of advanced wound dressings capable of dynamically adapting to the complex wound microenvironment represents a critical unmet need in the management of infected and chronic wounds.
Methods:
A novel multifunctional hydrogel dressing was fabricated through a green, physical crosslinking strategy based on hydrogen bonding between tannic acid (TA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The network was co-loaded with cannabidiol (CBD) and mupirocin (MUP) to achieve synergistic therapeutic effects. The hydrogel was characterized for its microstructure, mechanical properties, swelling capacity, and pH-responsive behavior. In vitro evaluations included antibacterial activity, antioxidant capacity, biocompatibility, and fibroblast migration assays. In vivo efficacy was assessed using a murine full-thickness wound model.
Results:
The optimized hydrogel exhibited a uniform porous structure, suitable mechanical properties, and excellent swelling capacity. It demonstrated intelligent pH-responsive degradation and drug release, with accelerated release under alkaline conditions and sustained release under acidic conditions. In vitro, the hydrogel showed potent broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, pH-modulated antioxidant capacity, excellent biocompatibility, and promoted fibroblast migration. In vivo, it significantly accelerated wound closure (72.80 % by day 7) and enhanced tissue regeneration through improved re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis, with histopathological analysis confirming excellent biosafety.
Conclusions:
This study provides an innovative, responsive hydrogel platform that intelligently coordinates antibacterial, antioxidant, and pro-healing functions. The work offers a promising strategy for managing infected and chronic wounds through a dynamically adaptive and synergistic therapeutic approach.
