Development of a Multifunctional Hydrogel Coloaded with Chitosan-Curcumin and Silver Nanoparticles: Fabrication, Characterization, and Antibacterial Activity

Chronic wounds pose significant clinical challenges due to microbial infections, excessive inflammation, and delayed wound healing. For this purpose, we developed a multifunctional self-healing conductive hydrogel loaded with gelatin (type A) capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and curcumin-embedded bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (CCANPs) to enhance antibacterial activity to enhance wound healing. AgNPs were synthesized via green synthesis using <i>Syzygium samarangense</i> leaf extract, demonstrating potent antibacterial properties. Curcumin, encapsulated in hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) and chitosan-coated BSA nanoparticles (355.8 ± 9.45 nm size, 87.83% entrapment efficiency), exhibited pH-dependent sustained release (81.65% at pH 1.2, 70.84% at pH 7.4 over 24 h). These nanoparticles were incorporated into a PVA/PEG/polyaniline (PANI) hydrogel (F2 formulation: 15% PVA, 10% PEG, 2.5% PANI), which showed optimal swelling (110.26 ± 1.09%) and gel fraction (99.18 ± 0.08%). The hydrogel exhibited excellent mechanical flexibility (372.5% elongation) and viscoelastic solid-like behavior (<i>G</i>' > <i>G</i>″). The <i>in vitro</i> antimicrobial assays revealed synergistic effects against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (33-35 mm inhibition zone) and <i>Escherichia coli</i> (27-31 mm), surpassing blank hydrogel controls. The drug release studies confirmed prolonged release kinetics (0.37% curcumin, 9.99% AgNPs over 24 h), ideal for chronic wound management, as a sustained release profile is achieved. This dual-nanoparticle-loaded conductive hydrogel can expedite tissue regeneration and cell proliferation. Its high biocompatibility, moisture retention, and antibacterial capabilities contribute to the healing of chronic and infected wounds.