Biocomposite Complex Hydrogels With Antimicrobial Activity Suitable for Wound Healing

Skin defects caused by injuries such as burns that exceed a certain diameter no longer heal spontaneously and require more complex interventions. Hydrogels have received special attention due to their unique ability to block the penetration of bacteria into wounds as they can absorb contaminated exudates and exhibit a high degree of flexibility. This study is focused on the preparation and characterization of novel antibacterial biocomposite hydrogels based on two carbohydrates, alginate and hyaluronic acid (HA), with immobilized ZnO NPs and curcumin-loaded electrospun nanofibers to improve the efficacy of the wound healing process. The hydrogel matrix was obtained after crosslinking HA and alginate in the presence of the DMT-MM activator. Hydrogels were physicochemically characterized by FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy, and the swelling degree was also investigated. It appeared that the swelling behavior of the biocomposite hydrogels was influenced by the amount of ZnO NPs and by the presence of nanofibers. Biodegradability, hemolysis, cell viability, antimicrobial, and in vitro irritability tests were carried out to assess their biological properties. The obtained results highlighted that these hydrogels are biodegradable, hemocompatible, non-cytotoxic, and non-irritating and have good antimicrobial activity. Based on the obtained results, these materials might be interesting candidates for wound healing treatment.