Antibacterial Biocomposite Based on Chitosan/Pluronic/Agarose Noncovalent Hydrogel: Controlled Drug Delivery by Alginate/Tetracycline Beads System

Designing a wound dressing with controlled uptake, antibacterial, and proper biocompatibility is crucial for the appropriate wound healing process. In this study, alginate/tetracycline (Alg/TC) beads were produced and embedded into chitosan/pluronic/agarose semi-interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel, which serves as a potential biocompatible dressing for treating skin wounds. The effect of pluronic content on the porosity, swelling, mechanical characteristics, and degradation of the hydrogel was investigated. Furthermore, the impact of Alg beads on TC release was subsequently examined. In the absence of Alg beads, faster release was observed. However, after incorporating beads into the hydrogels, the release was sustained. Particularly, the hydrogel containing Alg beads exhibited a nearly linear release, reaching 74% after 2 days in acidic media. The antimicrobial activity and biocompatibility of the hydrogel were also evaluated to assess the capability of the TC-loaded hydrogels for wound dressing applications. The hydrogel demonstrated efficient antibacterial features against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the sample behavior was evaluated against exposure to yeast. Furthermore, based on biocompatibility studies using HFF2 cells, the TC-loaded hydrogel exhibited remarkable biocompatibility. Overall, this novel composite hydrogel shows remarkable biocompatibility and antibacterial activities which can be used as a great potential wound dressing to prevent wound infections due to its effective inhibition of bacterial growth.