Antibacterial and bioactive composite hydrogels from carrageenan-PVA-chitosan incorporated ZiF-8@GO for wound healing: in vitro and in vivo evaluations

Hydrogels are promising dressings for wound healing as they resemble the native extracellular matrix that provides a microenvironment for skin wound healing. Herein, we have developed composite hydrogels by incorporating ZiF-8@GO into the polymeric mixture of chitosan (CS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and carrageenan (CG). These were analyzed using FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDX, and DSC to study their structural, surface morphology, elemental analysis, and thermal stability. The physicochemical properties were studied in different media under various pH at 37 °C. The degradation was performed in phosphate buffer saline solution at 37 °C under 7.4 pH, and the wettability was conducted to study the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity. All the composite hydrogels are hemocompatible and exhibit excellent anti-bacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. We have performed in-vitro biological assays using fibroblast (3t3) cell lines, and increasing ZiF-8@GO increased cell viability and proliferation. The wound contraction was also performed using an in-vivo wound healing model using SD-rat, and hydrogel (CPC-Z@GO-3) was found to heal the wound quickly without any scar formation. These hydrogels have exhibited excellent physicochemical characteristics and biological properties, which would be promising composite polymeric materials for wound repair and regeneration.