A novel NO-releasing composite hydrogel for infected wound healing

Infection and inflammation are key factors affecting wound healing. Hydrogels are excellent wound dressings that provide a moist healing environment and serve as carriers for drugs or functional components. This work proposes a composite hydrogel, APLCE, composed of methyl methacrylate L-arginine (M-L-Arg) as an NO donor, synthesized through free radical polymerization with acrylamide (AM) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The hydrogel matrix exhibits good water retention and mechanical properties. CaO 2 and ε-poly-L-arginine (EPL) are embedded in the hydrogel to form APLCE, where the hydrolysis of CaO 2 releases H 2 O 2 , triggering the release of arginine to release NO, inhibiting wound inflammation and bacterial growth. EPL added to the hydrogel synergistically with NO exhibits an antibacterial effect, with a bacterial inhibition rate exceeding 99 %. Animal experiments show that APLCE can completely eradicate bacteria in infected wounds, promote new skin formation, and achieve a wound closure rate of 94 % within 14 days. These findings emphasize the potential clinical application of APLCE as an innovative wound dressing material.