Multi-functional Gleditsia sinensis galactomannan-based hydrogel with highly stretchable, adhesive, and antibacterial properties as wound dressing for accelerating wound healing

Design and development of a multifunctional wound dressing with self-healing, adhesive, and antibacterial properties to attain optimal wound closure efficiency are highly desirable in clinical applications. Nevertheless, conventional hydrogels face significant barriers in their mechanical strength, adhesive performance, and antibacterial properties. Herein, a tough hydrogel based on aldehyde-grafted galactomannan was synthesized through radical copolymerization and Schiff base reaction, incorporating hyaluronic acid, acrylamide, and the zwitterionic monomer to create a multi-crosslinked structure. The multiple crosslink structure pattern consisting of multiple hydrogen bonding, ionic interactions, reversible Schiff bases bonds, and molecular chain entanglement endowed this hydrogel with multiple functionalities, including high tensile strength (25 kPa), tensile strain (2200 %), toughness (391.59 kJ/m³), and Young's modulus (9.77 kPa). The presence of catechol groups and zwitterionic groups endow hydrogels with outstanding adhesion strength (42.21 kPa), which satisfied the adhesive demand for the ample motion of specific areas. The zwitterionic monomer provided long-lasting antibacterial properties and promoted migration and growth of negatively charged cells, capable of establishing efficient antibacterial barriers and serving as wound dressing. The in vivo and vitro experiments manifested that the optimized hydrogel demonstrated an inconspicuous inflammatory response, facilitating rapid healing of full-thickness skin wound in rat models. Therefore, this work provides a promising strategy and an ideal candidate for wound healing dressings in treating infected skin wounds.