Efficient Elimination of Microbial Infections in Wounds Using Plasma-Activated Water Hydrogel

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Antimicrobial Research
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major postoperative complication, worsened by antimicrobial resistance.
• Plasma-activated water (PAW) shows antimicrobial potential but typically requires acidic pH.
• A high-strength, neutral pH-buffered PAW (hs-PAbW) was previously developed for clinical suitability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a hydrogel incorporating hs-PAbW at a safe and effective dose (hs-PAbW-20).
• To evaluate the efficacy of hs-PAbW-20 gel in murine models of surgical wound infections.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of a hydrogel with hs-PAbW-20.
• Assessment of antimicrobial activity against *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and *Staphylococcus aureus* in BALB/c mice.
• Evaluation of wound closure rates and gene expression related to healing in BALB/c and diabetic C57BL/6 mice.

Main Results:

• hs-PAbW-20 gel significantly reduced bacterial burden in murine wound models, comparable to neosporin and soframycin.
• The gel accelerated wound closure by modulating key repair genes.
• In diabetic mice, hs-PAbW-20 gel decreased *P. aeruginosa* burden and enhanced healing.

Conclusions:

• hs-PAbW-20 gel demonstrates potent antimicrobial and wound healing properties.
• This neutral-pH PAW hydrogel represents a promising alternative to antibiotic-based therapies for SSIs.
• This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of a neutral-pH PAW gel for managing surgical site infections.