Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory pH-Responsive Tannic Acid-Carboxylated Agarose Composite Hydrogels for Wound Healing

PH-sensitive hydrogels play an important role in controlled drug release applications and have the potential to impact the management of wounds. In this study, we report the fabrication of novel carboxylated agarose/tannic acid hydrogel scaffolds cross-linked with zinc ions for the pH-controlled release of tannic acid. The resulting hydrogels exhibited negligible release of tannic acid at neutral and alkaline pH and sustained release at acidic pH, where they also displayed maximum swelling. The hydrogels also displayed favorable antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and a lack of cytotoxicity toward 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. In simulated wound assays, significantly greater cell migration and…

• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Award: EXC 294
• AR
  Australian Research Council

  Award: DP120102959