EMERGENT MATERIALS, 2025 (ESCI)
A delayed skin wound healing process increases the risk of infection and necessitates implementing effective treatment strategies. From this perspective, biocompatible and antibacterial hydrogels stand out as innovative biomaterials that support wound healing. In this research, a semi-interpenetrating polymer network (s-IPN) strategy was used to improve the mechanical strength, cytocompatibility, and antibacterial properties of natural polysaccharide-based hydrogels. In this context, natural polymer-based XG/poly (HEMA-co-APTMACl) hydrogels were synthesized by redox polymerization reaction. The stability of metal nanoparticles was ensured by utilizing the rich polyphenol and flavonoid components of C. Orientalis. The synthesized hydrogels were in situ functionalized with biosynthesized silver (55 nm) and gold (56 nm) nanoparticles to enhance their biocompatibility and biofunctionality. Their antibacterial activity was assessed against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. cereus, and E. faecalis using the disk diffusion method. Hydrogelfilm@Ag inhibited all tested bacterial strains (7.5-8.8 mm), while Hydrogelfilm@Au exhibited stronger antibacterial activity, particularly against E. faecalis (10.3 mm) and B. cereus (9.7 mm). In contrast, the Hydrogelfilm was only effective against S. aureus (7.7 mm). The hydrogel formulations were tested for cytocompatibility and wound healing potential using HUVECs. All hydrogels composites (Hydrogelfilm@Au, @Ag, and @HF) were non-toxic and exhibited enhanced biocompatibility, promoting significant cell proliferation at all tested concentrations (5-20%). In wound healing assays, Hydrogelfilm@HF achieved complete wound closure within 12 h even at a 5% concentration, demonstrating superior regenerative potential. Overall, hydrogels incorporating green-synthesized silver and gold nanoparticles demonstrated excellent antibacterial and wound-healing properties, highlighting their promise as advanced biomaterials for tissue regeneration applications.