Drug-Loaded Physical Cross-Linking Sodium Alginate/Chitosan Hydrogels as Wound Dressings

Drug-loaded physical cross-linking sodium alginate (SA)/chitosan (CS) hydrogels had been prepared using gallic acid, quercetin and magnolol as the model drugs. Their physicochemical properties, drug release, antibacterial activities, and promoting wound healing abilities had been investigated. The results showed that the water absorption of the SA/CS hydrogels decreased when drugs were incorporated. All the hydrogels released drug quickly and above 70 % of drug was dissolved in 3 h. The hydrogel loading gallic acid could inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, but the hydrogel loading quercetin or magnolol inhibited B. subtilis only. All the drug-loaded hydrogels could reduce the wound size, while the hydrogel with gallic acid promoted wound healing more effectively.