Novel Fluorinated Polyphenolic Antibacterial Substance-Loaded Self-Pumping Dressing for Promoting Infected Wound Healing

Infected wounds pose a significant clinical challenge, not only because of bacterial colonization (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus) but also because of the formation of a dysregulated wound microenvironment. Effective wound treatment requires strategies that simultaneously suppress bacterial growth and dynamically regulate the wound microenvironment for the biofluid transport. Here, we report a self-pumping wound dressing that autonomously regulates the wound microenvironment while providing a mechanism-specific antibacterial activity. The dressing is constructed by laminating a hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride layer with hydrophilic carbon cloth, forming an asymmetric wettability gradient that drives spontaneous and unidirectional exudate transport. To integrate antibacterial function, a novel fluorinated polyphenolic compound (FPC, C27H22F2O3) with selective activity against Staphylococcus aureus and low mammalian cytotoxicity is incorporated into the dressing, enabling effective bacterial inhibition under conditions compatible with tissue repair. Importantly, dynamic regulation of wound biofluid enhances the availability of FPC at the wound site rather than relying on sustained exposure. In a murine full-thickness Staphylococcus aureus-infected wound model, this integrated system accelerates wound closure, reduces inflammatory responses, and promotes organized collagen deposition and re-epithelialization. These results demonstrate that coupling autonomous microenvironment regulation with mechanism-specific antibacterial chemistry offers an effective strategy for treating infected wounds through the active control of the wound microenvironment.