Combination of Slightly Acidic Electrolyzed Water and Hydrogel to Enhance Stability, Increase Antibacterial Efficacy, and Promote Infectious Wound Healing

Wound infections remain significant challenges for current tissue adhesives, primarily due to their poor adhesion in moist environments, slow bonding, cytotoxicity, and limited antibacterial properties. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW), a potent disinfectant, suffers from limited stability due to chlorine loss. This study developed a novel SAEW-based hydrogel (SAEW-gel) by combining SAEW with chitosan and β-glycerol disodium phosphate to improve its stability and therapeutic potential. SAEW-gel demonstrated high water absorption, long-term water retention, and enhanced antibacterial activity against <i>S. aureus</i> and <i>E. coli</i> compared to SAEW alone. It maintained germicidal efficacy after prolonged storage and significantly accelerated wound healing in a rat model, achieving a 95.41% healing rate by the 12th day of treatment. Mechanistically, SAEW-gel reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, promoted granulation and collagen formation, and regulated inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, MPO, HYP). These findings highlight SAEW-gel as a promising biomaterial for treating infectious wounds and support its potential for future clinical application.