The preparation of lactoferrin/magnesium silicate lithium injectable hydrogel and application in promoting wound healing

The development of novel wound dressings with highly effective antibacterial and accelerating wound healing properties has become the focus of current research. In this study, a novel and injectable lactoferrin (LF)/lithium magnesium silicate hydrogel (LMSH) was first synthesized through a simple electrostatic interaction method. The physical and biological properties are systematically characterized. The results show that the synthesized LF/LMSH has good antibacterial properties and biocompatibility. More importantly, it can effectively promote wound healing in the rat full-thickness skin wound model after 14 days post-operation, and the healing rate can reach 99.1 %, which is much higher than that of other groups. Meanwhile, histochemical and immunofluorescent staining confirm that the prepared injectable LF/LMSH has good pro-collagen deposition, pro-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. The healed wounds present a consistently thickened epidermis with more follicular and glandular structures, indicating the great potential of the prepared material for wound management.