A Multifunctional Injectable Hydrogel Accelerates Hemostasis and Wound Healing via Synergistic Tissue Adhesion, Antimicrobial Activity, and ROS Scavenging

Injectable hydrogels have great potential in wound repair applications due to their simple operation and ability to adapt to irregular wounds. However, the current injectable hydrogels have poor biocompatibility, insufficient hemostatic performance, and low wound healing efficiency, which limit their application in wound repair. In this study, an injectable hydrogel (TS@EP) was constructed through a catalyst-free amide reaction between NHS ester-terminated four-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (4aPEG-SS), gallic acid-modified ε-poly(l-lysine) (ε-PLL-GA), and amino-terminated Pluronic F127 (APF). The prepared hydrogels have excellent mechanical properties, strong tissue adhesion, and excellent biocompatibility. In addition, the TS@EP hydrogel exhibited remarkable antibacterial and antioxidant capacities, which are critical for preventing bacterial infection and scavenging excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) in wound sites. The results of animal experiments have confirmed that the TS@EP hydrogel can effectively seal the wound, thereby achieving rapid hemostasis and also having the function of promoting wound healing. In conclusion, the TS₂₀@E_2.5P_7.5 hydrogels have great promise as a biomaterial for wound hemostasis and seamless closure, offering a potential alternative to conventional wound management strategies.