Preparation of polypyrrole-ulvan nanoparticles and bioactive properties of multifunctional polypyrrole-ulvan/chitosan dressings for enhanced wound healing

Abstract

Both ulvan (U) and Chitosan (C) have biocompatibility, bioactivities and wound healing properties. On the other hand, polypyrrole (PPy) is a synthetic conductive polymer capable of modulating the wound microenvironment and promoting tissue regeneration. In this study, a multifunctional wound dressing was developed, based on chitosan matrix with evenly dispersed conductive PPy-U nanoparticles (237-323 nm). PPy was synthesized in-situ within ulvan solution, producing PPy-U nanoparticles that could stably disperse in water, overcoming the poor solubility of PPy. The resulting PPy-U/C films exhibited tunable conductivity (10_ 2-10_ 3 S & sdot;m_ 1), and increased flexibility with the addition of glycerol (G). Moreover, ulvan enhanced swelling ratio (255-518%) and water vapor transmission rate (1400-1640 g & sdot;m_ 2 & sdot;day_ 1), whereas PPy imparted conductivity and intrinsic antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The complex films protected HaCaT cells from H2O2-induced oxidative stress and significantly enhanced the proliferation of NIH 3 T3 fibroblasts under electrical stimulation. In vivo full-thickness wound-healing studies demonstrated that PPy-U/C-particularly PPy0.1-U1/C3-G-accelerated re-epithelialization and achieved complete wound closure within 14 days. These results demonstrate that the PPy-U/C film is a carbohydrate-based, electroactive, and antibacterial wound dressing with strong potential to enhance cellular activity and accelerate wound healing.