A 4arm-PEG macromolecule crosslinked chitosan hydrogels as antibacterial wound dressing

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers 2022-02, Vol.277, p.118871-118871, Article 118871
• Main Authors: Lu, Jiawei, Chen, Yi, Ding, Meng, Fan, Xiaokun, Hu, Jiawei, Chen, Yihua, Li, Jie, Li, Zhihan, Liu, Wenyong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemical synthesis; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotic property; Bandages; Biocompatible Materials - chemical synthesis; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocompatible Materials - pharmacology; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chitosan; Chitosan - chemical synthesis; Chitosan - chemistry; Chitosan - pharmacology; Cross-Linking Reagents - chemical synthesis; Cross-Linking Reagents - chemistry; Cross-Linking Reagents - pharmacology; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Gels; Hydrogels - chemical synthesis; Hydrogels - chemistry; Hydrogels - pharmacology; Macromolecular Substances - chemical synthesis; Macromolecular Substances - chemistry; Macromolecular Substances - pharmacology; Mice; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Molecular Structure; Particle Size; Polyethylene Glycols - chemical synthesis; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Polyethylene Glycols - pharmacology; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Wound dressing; Wound Healing - drug effects
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118871

In order to develop better wound dressings, a novel chitosan hydrogel (Cn-Nm gel) was designed and fabricated by using aldehyde-4-arm polyethylene glycol (4r-PEG-CHO) to crosslink the chitosan dissolved in alkaline solution, amino-4-arm polyethylene glycol (4r-PEG-NH2) was chosen as the additive simultaneously. The special dissolution technique and macromolecular crosslinking structure endows the Cn-Nm gels with better performance than that of gels prepared by acid dissolving method with micromolecule crosslinker. First, Cn-Nm gels own strong toughness with 500 kPa tensile strength and 1000% elongation, about 400% swelling ratio and fast water absorption rate. Second, about 300 kPa adhesive strength and strippability between the gels and skin is achieved. More importantly, Cn-Nm gels show nearly 100% antibacterial rate towards Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Excellent biocompatibility is also proved by the mouse fibroblasts tests. All of the performance makes this developed chitosan-based gel be the potential candidate as a wound dressing.