A dual pH- and temperature-responsive hydrogel produced in situ crosslinking of cyclodextrin-cellulose for wound healing

Cellulose hydrogels have gained attention in the field of wound healing due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and the capacity to sustain a humid environment that promotes healing. Conventional cellulose hydrogels were usually lacked responsiveness to changing wound conditions, and limited capacity for controlled release of active substances. The composite hydrogels with Berberine (BBR) loading were prepared from bamboo parenchymal cellulose and in situ crosslinking carboxylated-β-cyclodextrin (BPCH-B) via dissolution. The inclusion of BBR enhanced the antibacterial properties of cellulose hydrogel while maintaining biocompatibility and drug delivery capabilities. The dual-responsive dressing was demonstrated to modulate drug release kinetics in accordance with the pH and temperature conditions prevailing within the wound site. Specifically, study exhibited a significant increase in drug release (over 70 %) under alkaline pH (7.6) and temperature (40 °C) conditions. Full-thickness wound healing experiments indicated that BPCH-B had better healing ability, and the wound healing area of BPCH-B treated was 80 % within 12 days, while the control group was only 50 %. This strategy for generating functional wound healing can be further control release of drug compounds for treatment of wounds, enabling development of practical wound care materials.