Hyaluronic Acid Ultra-Porous Scaffolds Reinforced with Low Quantities of Graphene Oxide: Influence on the Delivery of Curcumin and Bacterial Inhibition

In this study, the influence of (i) the degree of crosslinking and (ii) incorporating small amounts of graphene oxide-up to 0.2% by mass-into the matrix of ultra-porous hyaluronic acid scaffolds was analyzed in relation to their physicochemical and mechanical properties. Also studied was the effect of incorporating graphene oxide on the release profile of curcumin, a hydrophobic molecule of interest in tissue engineering, plus the potential antibacterial activity of graphene oxide against <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>E.coli</i>. This paper describes the development of a hybrid ultra-porous material composed of crosslinked hyaluronic acid and graphene oxide, representing a significant advance in the field of nanomedicine. The resulting material enables dual control over the release kinetics of curcumin, a compound with high pharmacological potential and neuroprotective properties.