An injectable self-healing hydrogel with adhesive and antibacterial properties effectively promotes wound healing

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 201; pp. 522 - 531
• Main Authors: Chen, Honglei, Cheng, Junwen, Ran, Luoxiao, Yu, Kun, Lu, Bitao, Lan, Guangqian, Dai, Fangying, Lu, Fei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; antibacterial properties; Cell Line; Chitosan; Chitosan - chemistry; Chitosan - pharmacology; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - growth & development; Hydrogel; hydrogels; Hydrogels - chemistry; Hydrogels - pharmacology; imines; konjac mannan; longevity; Mannans - chemistry; Mannans - pharmacology; Mice; microscopy; oxidation; Oxidized konjac glucomannan; schiff bases; Self-healing; Skin - injuries; Skin - metabolism; Skin - pathology; Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus - growth & development; Swine; Tissue Adhesives - chemistry; Tissue Adhesives - pharmacology; tissue repair; Wound dressing; Wound Healing - drug effects; Oxidized konjac glucomannan; Wound dressing; Self-healing; Hydrogel; Chitosan
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.08.090

•KGM is oxidized to aldehyde konjac glucomannan that was used as a polymer cross-linker.•The hydrogel has good biocompatibility and adhesion.•The hydrogel has good self-healing ability and can effectively inhibit bacterial proliferation.•The hydrogel can accelerate wound contraction and promote wound healing. Hydrogels with self-healing capacity can undergo self-repair, establishing safer and longer-lasting products. Hydrogel wound dressings showing self-healing capacity can prolong the lifespan of the material and provide better wound protection. Therefore, in this study, Schiff base reactions (reversible imine linkages) were utilized to design injectable self-healing hydrogels with chitosan and konjac glucomannan. Oxidized konjac glucomannan was used to react with chitosan to form hydrogel. In addition to injectable, self-healing properties, the hydrogels also had adhesive and antibacterial properties, were biocompatible, and promoted wound healing. The inhibition rates of hydrogels against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were 96% and 98%, respectively. In addition, microscopy and rheological analyses showed that the hydrogels healed within 4 h without additional exogenous stimulation. Finally, the developed hydrogels were injectable and significantly shortened wound recovery time in a full-thickness skin defect model. Thus, our findings established a novel hydrogel material that may have applications in wound healing.