Codonopsis pilosula peptides/cellulose nanocrystals hydrogels: Preparation, characterization, and antibacterial/antioxidant properties

Hydrogels have gained significant attention in biomedical applications due to their unique physicochemical properties. This study reports the fabrication of a composite hydrogel combining Codonopsis pilosula peptides (CPP) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), followed by a systematic evaluation of its properties. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction confirm effective crosslinking between CPP and CNC. The CPP/CNC hydrogel exhibits exceptional mechanical performance, with a break elongation of 2332 % and tensile strength of 442 kPa. It showed a high swelling ratio of 1011.58 % in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Additionally, the hydrogel demonstrates remarkable antibacterial activity and free radical scavenging capacity, with the latter exceeding 95 %. These findings provide a theoretical and practical basis for the potential biomedical applications of CPP/CNC composite hydrogels, particularly in wound healing and drug delivery.