An Antibacterial Hydrogel Based on Silk Sericin Cross-Linking Glycyrrhizic Acid and Silver for Infectious Wound Healing

Bioactive hydrogels are garnering increasing interest in wound management due to their porous structural features and versatile intrinsic biological activities. Importantly, the antibacterial capacity is a crucial requirement for hydrogel dressings in chronically infected wounds. In this study, we report an antibacterial hydrogel constructed from silk sericin (SS) cross-linked with glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and integrated with silver ions (Ag⁺) to accelerate the healing of bacterial-infected wounds. The resultant sericin-glycyrrhizic acid-Ag⁺ hydrogel (SGA) demonstrates favorable mechanical properties, effectively preventing secondary injury to wounds. Moreover, <i>in vitro</i> studies indicated that the SGA hydrogel possesses excellent swelling ratios, degradability, and cytocompatibility, promoting cell growth and proliferation. Notably, the SGA hydrogel exhibited effective antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria through the release of Ag⁺. In a <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>-infected wound model, the SGA hydrogel efficiently eradicated bacteria, thus promoting wound repair. Overall, our work establishes a novel strategy for developing multifunctional hydrogel dressings based on natural materials for managing bacteria-infected wounds.