Absorbable and biodegradable enzyme-crosslinked gelatin/alginate semi-IPN hydrogel wound dressings containing curcumin

Effective wound management presents a substantial financial and time-related obstacle for healthcare institutions. Enhancing healthcare involves implementing innovative wound treatment methods to minimize healing time and expenses. This study is centered on the development of a non-toxic wound dressing using only two natural polymers and an enzyme. By adding 10 % wt microbial transglutaminase, the mechanical properties of the dressing were improved. This formulation increased the swelling rate by 70 %, deswelling rate by 15 %, conversion rate by 9 %, and networking rate by 20 %. Additionally, the non-toxic dressing showed a cell viability rate of 106 %. In drug delivery tests, explosive release behavior was observed, which is advantageous for open wounds. Cell staining experiments were also carried out to evaluate wound behavior in terms of collagen formation, granulation, and inflammation. The results suggest that the optimized hydrogel has great potential as a wound dressing. Its excellent absorption, antioxidant, and biocompatibility characteristics enhance tissue granulation rate and reduce wound treatment time by half compared to conventional methods, while also minimizing scarring risk. This innovative treatment, which eliminates the need for frequent changes, is beneficial for both secondary intentions and severe open wounds requiring bottom-up healing.