Agarose Cryogels\nLoaded with Polydopamine Microspheres\nfor Sustainable Wound Care with Enhanced Hemostatic and Antioxidant\nProperties

Excessive bleeding presents a grave\nrisk to life, especially\nin\nscenarios involving deep wounds such as those inflicted by gunshots\nand accidental stabs. Despite advancements in wound care management,\nexisting commercial hemostatic agents have limitations, necessitating\nthe development of enhanced solutions. In this study, we developed\ncryogels using agarose and polydopamine microspheres as a hemostatic\ndressing to effectively manage profuse bleeding. The resulting cryogels\ndemonstrated impressive attributes, such as high absorption capacity\n(>4000%), shape recovery ability, antioxidant properties, and excellent\nbiocompatibility in mammalian cell lines. Particularly noteworthy\nwas the rapid blood clotting observed in vitro, with the agarose/PDA\ncryogels achieving complete clotting within just 90 s. Subsequent\nvalidation in the rat trauma model further underscored their hemostatic\nefficacy, with clotting times of 40 and 53 s recorded in tail amputation\nand liver puncture models, respectively. The porous structure and\nhydrophilicity of the cryogels facilitated superior blood absorption\nand retention, while the amine groups of polydopamine played a pivotal\nrole in enhancing blood clotting activity. This study represents a\nsignificant step forward in utilizing agarose/polydopamine cryogels\nas advanced materials for hemostatic wound dressings, promising an\nimpactful contribution to wound therapy.