Enhancing Wound Recovery: A Self-Gelling Powder for Improved Hemostasis and Healing

Abstract

A novel self-gelatinizing powder was designed to accelerate wound healing through enhanced hemostasis and tissue recovery. Significantly, this research addresses the critical need for innovative wound management solutions by presenting a novel approach. Carboxymethylcellulose calcium (CMC-Ca) was synthesized using an ion exchange method, and lysine (Lys) was integrated through physical mixing to augment the material's functional characteristics. The prepared powder underwent comprehensive evaluation for its self-gelling capacity, gelation time, adhesion, swelling rate, coagulation efficiency, hemostatic effectiveness, and wound healing promotion. Results indicate that the self-gelatinizing powder exhibited remarkable water absorption capabilities, absorbing liquid up to 30 times its weight and achieving rapid coagulation within 3 min. The inclusion of Lys notably enhanced the powder's gel-forming properties. The gelation time was determined to be within 4 s using a rotational rheometer, with the powder rapidly forming a stable gel on the skin surface. Furthermore, in a mouse skin injury model, near-complete skin recovery was observed within 14 days, underscoring the powder's impressive self-healing attributes and promising application prospects in wound management.

Keywords: carboxymethylcellulose calcium; healing; hemostasis; lysine.

Figure 1

Powder characterization (A) standard curves for flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (R² = 0.998). (B) SEM images of CMC-Ca-Lys powder. (C) FTIR spectra of CMC-Na, CMC-Ca, and CMC-Ca-Lys. (D) Distribution of calcium and sodium ions on powders. (E) Calcium content. (F) Sodium content.

Figure 2

Swelling properties of hydrogel. (A) State diagram of gel formation by adding 3.5 mL of PBS to powders with different Lys mass ratios. (B) Solvation kinetics curves of hydrogels formed from powders with different Lys mass ratios. (C) Illustration of Lys powder, CMC-Ca powder, and CMC-Ca-Lys powder with water. (D) The degradation tests of CMC-Ca-Lys.

Figure 3

Gel characteristics (A) Schematic diagram of powder gel formation on porcine skin. (B) Schematic illustration of gel adhesion on porcine skin. (C) The gelation time of the powder after absorption of the PBS solution was measured by a rheometer at 37 °C. (D) Storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) as a function of frequency for 0.1 mg of CMC-Ca-Lys in absorbing 35 times the mass of PBS to form a gel.

Figure 4

Testing of the hemostatic properties of powders. (A) Photographs of whole blood coagulation at different times in CMC-Ca-Lys and blank groups. (B) Kinetic profile of CMC-Ca-Lys whole blood coagulation in vitro. (C) Blood clotting index of full blood with CMC-Ca-Lys powder; *** p < 0.001.

Figure 5

In vivo hemostatic test of powders. (A) Pictures of hemostasis experiments in mice. (B) Blood loss data in mice. Error bar indicates SD (n = 3), *** p < 0.001.

Figure 6

In vivo evaluation of wound healing. (A) Wound appearance pictures of the control group, CMC-Ca group, and CMC-Ca-Lys group. (B) Wound healing data. (C) Wound healing model. (D) Matson stained the image of wound tissue on day 14. (E) H&E stained images of wound tissue on day 14. (F) H&E-stained tissue sections of major organs (heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney).