A light-cured and doxycycline stabilized silk fibroin/tannin acid tissue adhesive for emergency hemorrhage

When organs and tissues, such as the heart and abdominal aorta, are damaged due to trauma and cause massive bleeding, it can easily lead to ischemic shock and be extremely fatal. To address this, we developed a novel photocurable, fully bio-based and doxycycline (Dox) stabilized hydrogel tissue adhesive (SH-10-T-5/Dox) designed for field deployment, integrating silk fibroin grafted onto glutathione (SF-GSH), methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HAMA), tannic acid (TA), and Dox via UV-initiated thiol-ene click chemistry. The ambient-stable formulation maintains ready-to-use portability. TA provided reversible catechol-mediated adhesion and antioxidant activity, while Dox conferred broad-spectrum antibacterial effects. The hydrogel demonstrated rapid photocuring (<15 s), tunable mechanical strength (compressive strength: 428 kPa), and robust wet tissue adhesion. Rheological studies revealed concentration-dependent gelation kinetics, with optimal TA content (5%) balancing covalent/physical crosslinking for enhanced network integrity. In vitro evaluations confirmed sustained Dox release, potent antibacterial efficacy, and high biocompatibility. Animal models validated its clinical utility: porcine abdominal aorta and cardiac puncture models demonstrated leak-proof sealing under dynamic pressures. Histological analysis revealed reduced fibrosis, accelerated collagen deposition, and minimal adhesion in treated wounds. This multifunctional adhesive combines compact storage characteristics, rapid deployment, and mechanical resilience, offering a practical alternative to sutures for emergency hemostasis and regenerative wound repair.