Study on a novel poly (vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide-citicoline sodium-lanthanum wound dressing: Biocompatibility, bioactivity, antimicrobial activity, and wound healing effect

Although graphene oxide (GO) is widely used as an antibacterial agent, its efficacy still needs to be improved. In this work, we present a novel medical dressing that improves antibacterial effect and promotes wound healing. Poly (vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide-citicoline sodium-lanthanum (PVA/GO-CDPC-La) films were prepared by the solution intercalation method for usage in wound dressing applications. GO was modified by zwitterionic citicoline (CDPC) to improve the dispersibility of water-based polymers, while providing La3+ ions with more adsorption sites and enhancing the antibacterial properties of the film. Water absorption experiments showed that it could effectively absorb wound exudate while keeping the wound moist. In vitro cytotoxicity and cell adhesion experiments showed that the PVA/GO-CDPC-La films acknowlhad good biocompatible and promoted wound healing. Bacterial adhesion experiments showed PVA/GO-CDPC-La could greatly reduce the risk of wound infection. Furthermore, in vivo wound healing experiments showed that wounds treated with the film healed faster postoperatively and histological observations showed that a mature epidermal architecture was formed, which could be used as a wound-dressing material.