Antibacterial and Hemocompatible pH-Responsive Hydrogel for Skin Wound Healing Application: In Vitro Drug Release

Abstract

The treatment of successive skin wounds necessitates meticulous medical procedures. In the care and treatment of skin wounds, hydrogels produced from natural polymers with controlled drug release play a crucial role. Arabinoxylan is a well-known and widely available biological macromolecule. We produced various formulations of blended composite hydrogels (BCHs) from arabinoxylan (ARX), carrageenan (CG), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) using and cross-linked them with an optimal amount of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The structural, morphological, and mechanical behavior of the BCHs samples were determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), mechanical testing, and wetting, respectively. The swelling and degradation assays were performed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution and aqueous media. Maximum swelling was observed at pH 7 and the least swelling in basic pH regions. All composite hydrogels were found to be hemocompatible. In vitro, silver sulfadiazine release profile in PBS solution was analyzed via the Franz diffusion method, and maximum drug release (87.9%) was observed in 48 h. The drug release kinetics was studied against different mathematical models (zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, Hixson-Crowell, Korsmeyer-Peppas, and Baker-Lonsdale models) and compared their regression coefficient (R²) values. It was observed that drug release follows the Baker-Lonsdale model, as it has the highest value (0.989) of R². Hence, the obtained results indicated that, due to optimized swelling, wetting, and degradation, the blended composite hydrogel BCH-3 could be an essential wound dressing biomaterial for sustained drug release for skin wound care and treatment.

Keywords: antibacterial; biomaterials; biopolymers; controlled drug release; hemocompatibility; kinetics studies; wound dressing.

Figure 1

The represents the complete syntheses of composite hydrogel with characterizations and biological activities.

Figure 2

FT-IR spectrum of all samples of biocomposite hydrogel with different functional groups exhibiting successful cross-linking.

Figure 3

SEM micrographs of all samples of biocomposite hydrogels and in the first row, the SEM micrographs were captured at magnifications (200 at 100 µm). The blue arrows in the second-row present flakes of rGO, causing rough surface morphology.

Figure 4

The measurement of water contact angles at different time intervals to determine the hydrophilicity of hydrophobicity of hydrogels with an increasing amount of rGO and time (t = 5 s).

Figure 5

The mechanical behavior of all hydrogels was studied: (a) tensile stress–strain curve and (b) relationship between Young’s modulus and ultimate tensile strength.

Figure 6

Swelling analysis of hydrogels: (a) buffer, (b) nonbuffer, (c) degradation of hydrogels under in vitro conditions, (d) antibacterial activities against different bacterial strains, (e) plasma recalcification, and (f) hemolysis percentage. (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 and *** p < 0.001).

Figure 7

The Franz diffusion drug release profile of BCH-3 hydrogel was studied under in vitro conditions.

Figure 8

Kinetics models (a) zero-order, (b) first-order, (c) Higuchi, (d) Hixson–Crowell, (e) Baker–Lonsdale and (f) Korsmeyer–Peppas models) for drug release from hydrogels.