A multifunctional Janus patch featuring immunomodulation and wet adhesion for periodontitis treatment

Periodontitis is generally considered to arise from bacterial infection and progress alongside hyperactive immune response. Current treatments for periodontitis face significant limitations including incomplete biofilm eradication, antibiotic resistance, and inadequate immunoregulation and tissue regeneration. Herein, we developed a multifunctional Janus hydrogel patch (CCSE gel) that integrates a drug-loaded layer (controlled curcumin release through time-dependent degradation) and a wet adhesion layer (ensuring stable and robust retention within the periodontal pocket and sustained therapeutic efficacy). This functional decoupling architecture endows the CCSE gel with not only high adhesion strength to tooth surfaces but also an anti-adhesion barrier together with antibacterial activity. In vitro experiments reveal that the CCSE gel exhibits good antibacterial activity and anti-inflammatory properties. In a mouse ligature-induced periodontitis model, the CCSE gel effectively downregulates inflammatory cytokine levels, ameliorates periodontal tissue inflammation and reduces the alveolar bone loss. This finding offers an innovative and promising therapeutic strategy for the clinical management of periodontitis.