Multifunctional Bioadhesive Hydrogels Derived from Naturally Occurring Building Blocks for Wound Healing

Abstract

Severe hemorrhage and wound inflammation are major risk factors contributing to high mortality after tissue trauma. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop emergency materials that can rapidly and effectively close wounds while simultaneously controlling bleeding and infection. Although current clinical bioadhesives can fill surgical voids and support tissue repair, they generally lack sufficient adhesive strength and anti-inflammatory properties, which limit their effectiveness in inflammatory wound environments. In this study, a kind of bioadhesive hydrogel was developed using a simple heating and mixing strategy with natural building blocks, including polysaccharides, lipoic acid, and natural polyphenol extracts. Through multiple non-covalent interactions (such as hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions), the resulting bioadhesive hydrogels exhibited excellent tissue adhesion and hemostatic properties. Moreover, these hydrogels also demonstrated outstanding anti-inflammatory effects, biocompatibility, and favorable biodegradability, effectively promoting both linear and burn wound healing. This work presents a novel strategy for achieving strong bioadhesion using natural molecules and provides a promising approach for the development of multifunctional wound dressings designed to support tissue regeneration.