Wound Dressing Hydrogel of Enteromorpha prolifera Polysaccharide–Polyacrylamide Composite: A Facile Transformation of Marine Blooming into Biomedical Material

Abstract

Great endeavors have been dedicated to the development of wound dressing materials. However, there is still a demand for developing a wound dressing hydrogel that integrates natural macromolecules without requiring extra chemical modifications, so as to enable a facile transformation and practical application in wound healing. Herein, a composite hydrogel was prepared with water-soluble polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera (PEP) cross-linked with boric acid and polyacrylamide cross-linked via polymerization (PAM) using a one-pot method. The dual-network of this hydrogel enabled it to have an ultratough mechanical strength. Moreover, interfacial characterizations reflected that the hydrogen bonds and dynamic hydroxyl−borate bonds contributed to the self-healing ability of the PEP-PAM hydrogel, and the surface groups on the hydrogel allowed for tissue adhesiveness and natural antioxidant properties. Additionally, human epidermal growth factor-loaded PEP-PAM hydrogel promoted cell proliferation and migration in vitro and significantly accelerated wound healing in vivo on model rats. These progresses suggested a prospect for the PEP-PAM hydrogel as an effective and easily available wound dressing material. Remarkably, this work showcases that a wound dressing hydrogel can be facially developed by using natural polysaccharides as a one component and offers a new route for the high-value utilization of disastrous marine blooming biomass by transforming it into a biomedical material.

Skin-Adaptable, Long-Lasting Moisture, and Temperature-Tolerant Hydrogel Dressings for Accelerating Burn Wound Healing without Secondary Damage

“…Hydrogels are considered promising materials for wound dressings due to their excellent biocompatibility, high water content, and biophysical similarity to natural tissue, which could not only provide a suitable microenvironment for wound repair but also act as a physical barrier to block bacteria and prevent wound infection. , Additionally, self-healing hydrogels are drawing rapidly growing attention because they can automatically and reversibly heal the damages and reform shapes without any external stimuli. , Self-healing hydrogels provided a new solution for wound management that can be quickly injected or smeared to cover deep and irregular wounds. ,, However, despite the rapidly growing studies, researchers still need to address several important challenges to further broaden the practical applications of hydrogel dressings. − For instance, most conventional hydrogel dressings are brittle and mechanically weak, which cannot match the mechanical properties of human skin to withstand large deformation when applied to wounds in frequently used areas. , In addition, the skin is a multifunctional organ acting as a barrier that prevents body dehydration, defends the body from pathogen invasion, and carries out biological functions . Hydrogel dressings with specific functions, such as long-lasting moisture and temperature tolerance, should effectively maintain parts of the biological functions of damaged skin. − To date, insufficient efforts have been exerted to engineer hydrogel dressings that can satisfy the aforementioned requirements simultaneously for burn wound healing. − …”

“…9,10 Hydrogels are considered promising materials for wound dressings due to their excellent biocompatibility, high water content, and biophysical similarity to natural tissue, which could not only provide a suitable microenvironment for wound repair but also act as a physical barrier to block bacteria and prevent wound infection. 11,12 Additionally, self-healing hydro- gels are drawing rapidly growing attention because they can automatically and reversibly heal the damages and reform shapes without any external stimuli. 13,14 Self-healing hydrogels provided a new solution for wound management that can be quickly injected or smeared to cover deep and irregular wounds.…”

Development and Characterization of Ulvan Polysaccharides-Based Hydrogel Films for Potential Wound Dressing Applications

“…32,33 These interactions are physical crosslinking, which is advantageous in regard to safety compared to chemical crosslinking because we can avoid the cytotoxicity caused by the unreacted chemical crosslinker. 34,35 In addition, glycerol was added as a plasticizer to the hydrogel film formula. Plasticizers are the most important additive and almost always present in film formulations, especially films made from natural materials to improve the flexibility, elasticity, processability, and mechanical properties of polymers.…”

Ulva (Enteromorpha) Polysaccharides and Oligosaccharides: A Potential Functional Food Source from Green-Tide-Forming Macroalgae

“…In addition, it possesses various physiological properties such as antioxidant, anticoagulant, antitumor, antiaging and immune regulatory activities [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Therefore, the Ulva polysaccharides could be widely used as medicine and chemical agents in the agricultural and medical fields [ 13 , 14 ].…”