Antimicrobial and Proregenerative Hydrogel Promotes Healing of Infected Diabetic Wounds

Diabetes is a prevalent chronic metabolic disorder, and wound infection represents one of its most common and severe complications─frequently leading to lower-limb amputation. Accelerating the healing of diabetic wounds remains a significant clinical challenge. Conventional wound dressings often necessitate frequent, complex dressing changes that exacerbate patient discomfort and risk secondary tissue damage. To address these limitations, we developed a multifunctional hydrogel (designated Shi-Mg@CAPLL) by integrating a shikonin-loaded magnesium-based metal-organic framework (Shi-Mg) into a colanic acid/ε-polylysine (ε-PLL) hydrogel matrix (CAPLL). Leveraging the synergistic antibacterial effects of ε-PLL and shikonin, Shi-Mg@CAPLL effectively suppresses both bacterial and fungal colonization in infected wounds. Moreover, the sustained release of bioactive components (Mg²⁺, shikonin) confers potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenic properties, facilitating complete tissue regeneration by day 16. Our results demonstrate that Shi-Mg@CAPLL offers a promising therapeutic strategy for managing infected diabetic wounds and promoting their healing.