Injectable hydrogel combining alginate and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa medicine with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and cellular proliferation properties as potential wound dressing material

Alginate hydrogels have been widely used as wound healing materials because of their high water content, biocompatibility, and easy fabrication. However, it is still challenging to improve their bioactivities due to the inherently bioinert properties of alginate. Herein, we report a simple and effective method to fabricate a multifunctional alginate hydrogel (Alg@Rt) with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, by combining the advantages of alginate and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa leaves extract (Rt). The hydrogel is prepared by simply mixing the solutions of alginate and Rt, using CaO 2 as the crosslinker. The porous structure of hydrogel is evidenced by the scanning electron microscope. The swelling of the hydrogel was determined by comparing the difference in mass of samples immersed in physiological pH. The polyphenol release was determined by using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The in vitro anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities of the Alg@Rt hydrogel were evaluated and compared with the pure Alg hydrogel. The biocompatibility of hydrogels was evaluated towards fibroblasts. A new injectable Alg@Rt hydrogel was developed to facilitate the wound healing process. Compared to the pure Alg hydrogel, Alg@Rt hydrogel significantly enhanced the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and cell proliferative activities, which is beneficial in wound treatment and tissue regenerative applications.