Chitosan-Based Adhesive Composite Hydrogel to Provide Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Properties for Biomedical Application

Hydrogel dressings are critical in biomedical applications. However, developing multifunctional hydrogel dressings that combine antibacterial action, strong interfacial adhesion, and anti-inflammatory regulation remains a significant challenge. This study presents a novel chitosan-EMA-DMA hydrogel consisting of MgO and chitosan-curcumin nanoparticles. DMA endowed the hydrogel with adhesive performance, and EMA with water sorption enhanced the swelling ratio of the hydrogel which could control the release of the functional ingredient. The multifunctional composite hydrogel containing MgO and Curcumin demonstrated antibacterial activity and inflammatory regulation. The findings from the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), NMR, and SEM confirmed the successful material synthesis and the preparation of the composite hydrogel. The swelling ratio was enhanced by 50% after EMA was introduced. The adhesive strength of the composite hydrogel with skin tissue was enhanced to 90 kPa due to the introduction of DMA. The antibacterial study showed that Mg released from the multifunctional composite hydrogel enhanced the antibacterial efficacy of the composite hydrogel against E. coli and S. aureus. In vitro assessments revealed the biocompatibility and inflammatory regulation of the multifunctional composite hydrogel containing curcumin. This approach offers a strategic solution for wound dressing in biomedical applications.