An astragalus polysaccharide-loaded hydrogel dressing enhances diabetic wound healing via dual-mode electrical stimulation

Diabetic wounds face various challenges, including persistent inflammation, infection, and microangiopathy. Current electrical stimulation therapies are limited by external power supply, structural complexity, and defects associated with prolonged use of single-mode electrical stimulation. In this study, we designed a dual-mode electrical stimulation dressing (DES-PGSA) on the substrate of hydrogel loaded with astragalus polysaccharide (APS) through the integration of a triboelectric nanogenerator and an Ag/Zn (Silver-Zinc) battery. The hydrogel substrate enhanced the sustainability and stability of direct current stimulation of Ag/Zn battery by serving as a quasi-solid-state electrolyte. In vivo assays demonstrated that the DES-PGSA dressing markedly promoted wound healing in diabetic rats compared with other groups, which could be mainly ascribed to the sustainable and stable electrical stimulation. Mechanistically, APS provides anti-inflammatory and pro-healing effects, while the electrical stimulation strengthens the cytoskeleton polarization which enabling the regulation of the direction of wound healing. Collectively, the functional wound dressing developed in this study provides a promising candidate for the treatment of complex wounds like diabetic wounds. • A hydrogel-based dressing with dual-mode ES is prepared by integrating TENG and Ag/Zn battery. • Dual-mode ES dressing offers a possibility to regulate directional wound healing. • The incorporation of APS in hydrogel provides additional anti-inflammatory effects.