pH/ROS Dual-Responsive Curcumin-Loaded Multifunctional Hydrogel for Visual Wound pH Detection

Abstract

Since the wound microenvironment dynamically changes during healing, responsive drug delivery and real-time monitoring of the wound status are critical for optimizing wound management. Therefore, a multifunctional hydrogel wound dressing (Cur-FCHO/CMCs/TK) was fabricated by integrating curcumin-loaded benzaldehyde-grafted Pluronic F127 micelles (Cur-FCHO), an ROS-responsive thioketal (TK), and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCs). The hydrogel exhibited pH/reactive oxygen species dual responsiveness through dynamic Schiff base bonds and TK units, enabling controlled Cur release in an acidic and high-ROS microenvironment of infected wounds. It showed excellent injectability, self-healing ability, and adaptability to irregular wound sites. Cur endowed the hydrogel with antibacterial, antioxidant, and pH-indicating functions. Combined with smartphone imaging, the hydrogel enabled visual monitoring and quantitative evaluation of the wound pH. In vitro experiments confirmed favorable biocompatibility and a cell migration-promoting ability. This hydrogel integrates wound healing promotion with pH monitoring, offering a new strategy for integrated wound repair.