Polysaccharide-Based Bioactive Hydrogels for Diabetic Wound Management

Abstract

Diabetic wound management constitutes a major clinical burden due to its complex and multifactorial pathophysiology involving dysregulated immune response, prolonged inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, abnormal neovascularization, and dysfunctional endothelial cell activity. This review focuses on polysaccharide-based bioactive hydrogels (PBHs) as advanced dressings for diabetic wound management. PBHs offer inherent therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects, along with a remarkable functionalization potential that enables tailored interventions for complex wound environments. The innovative aspect of this review lies in highlighting the mechanistic roles of PBHs in modulating oxidative stress, promoting angiogenesis, regulating macrophage polarization, and enhancing antibacterial defense, thereby accelerating wound healing. Furthermore, the current limitations hindering the clinical translation of PBHs are also discussed.