Hemostatic and antibacterial performance of alginate/tannic acid-coated gauze for advanced wound care

Medical cotton gauze has traditionally been used as a local hemostatic material. However, there is a growing demand for innovative solutions that not only reduce blood loss but also prevent secondary infections. In the present study, a novel multifunctional hemostatic cotton gauze (designated as SGT-Ca@Gz) is developed by integrating sodium alginate, tannic acid, and calcium chloride (CaCl₂) onto the gauze surface via a two-step dip-coating process. This technique provides the gauze with antibacterial and antioxidant properties, thereby effectively reducing both blood loss and the time needed for hemostasis. The ion cross-linking process employs a solution of CaCl₂in a mixed water/ethanol solvent system to enhance the moisture stability of the polymer coating, ensure uniform surface cross-linking, increase the Ca²⁺content, and improve the mechanical properties of the gauze. As a result, the functional SGT-Ca@Gz exhibits enhanced antioxidant activity (89%) and demonstrates strong antibacterial activity againstE. coliandS. aureus. Inex vivoexperiments using a rat liver bleeding model, the SGT-Ca@Gz achieves a five-fold reduction in blood loss and a 2.8-fold decrease in hemostasis time compared to standard cotton gauze, thus highlighting its superior hemostatic performance. Consequently, this multifunctional hemostatic cotton gauze, with its enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial properties, is expected to have extensive applications in wound hemostasis.