Conductive hydrogels as an “innovative healer” for the treatment of diabetic wounds

Abstract

Diabetic wounds are one of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus caused by neurovascular injury and microenvironmental disorders, including hyperinflammation, hypoxia, and persistent infection, requiring multiple interventions at different stages. However, the traditional treatment only targets the wound and ignores the intrinsic pathogenesis, resulting in a limited therapeutic effect. One promising option is hydrogels, which have good biocompatibility, adhesion, and plasticity. Incorporating conductive materials into hydrogels further enhances their therapeutic effects by accelerating hemostasis, promoting nerve and vascular regeneration, and enhancing the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects, which is the future development direction for treating diabetic wounds. This review systematically analyzes the role of electricity in treating diabetic wounds and discusses the material selection and methods for the functional realization of conductive hydrogels. Furthermore, the main challenges and future perspectives in this field are discussed and prospected, aiming to fuel and foster the development of conductive hydrogels in diabetic wound therapy.