3D printed antibacterial and anti-inflammatory scaffold containing vanillin-loaded Soluplus nanomicelles for healing of infected wounds

Treating infected wounds is a major clinical challenge, and concerns about bacterial resistance have driven the shift toward natural antimicrobials over antibiotics. Herein, a 3D printed scaffold wound dressing consisting of alginate (Alg) and fucoidan (F) was prepared, and Soluplus (Sol) nanomicelles (NMs) were used to load vanillin (Vn) as a lipophilic antibacterial agent into the 3D printed scaffold. Characterization analyses revealed that the fabricated scaffold exhibited a peak swelling capacity of 294.3 ± 24.1% and underwent a weight loss of 38.0 ± 2.25% following a seven-day immersion in PBS. The Vn release from the Alg-F-VnNMs scaffold reached 80.6 ± 5.3% after seven days of immersion in PBS. The controlled release of Vn from the scaffold resulted in inhibition zones of 21.4 ± 1.15 mm against S. aureus and 23.2 ± 0.9 mm against E. coli within 24 h, while further analysis displayed a potent bactericidal effect, eradicating more than 80% of the bacterial population. In vivo studies on a full-thickness rat wound model showed that the Alg-F-VnNMs scaffold reduced inflammation, enhanced collagen deposition, and accelerated regeneration, leading to complete wound healing in 14 days, confirming its efficacy in wound management and skin repair.