Enhanced wound healing through alginate/PVA hydrogels enriched with seagrass extract: an in vivo and in vitro evaluation

The development of advanced biopolymer-based wound dressings is critical for enhancing tissue repair and reducing inflammation. This study presents a dual-crosslinked hydrogel composed of alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), enriched with bioactive seagrass extract, synthesized through a freeze-thawing technique to improve mechanical integrity and biocompatibility for potential applications in wound healing. Structural characterization was conducted using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) confirmed the successful integration of the extract and the uniformity of the hydrogel matrix. Invitro cytotoxicity assessment utilizing normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cell lines showed high cell viability across all concentrations, with PVAS-treated cells exhibiting over 90% viability at 100 µg/mL (<i>p < 0.01</i>). <i>In vivo</i> wound healing studies in murine models demonstrated significantly enhanced outcomes in the PVAS group compared to controls, including improved epidermal regeneration, collagen deposition, and tissue remodeling. Notably, the PVAS group achieved approximately 85% wound closure by day 21, in contrast to around 60% in untreated controls (<i>p</i> < 0.001). These findings underscore the potential of alginate/PVA hydrogels enriched with seagrass extract as effective, biocompatible wound dressings and support their continued development for applications in regenerative medicine.