Work

A natural bioadhesive derived from Eucommia ulmoides gum for enhanced wound repair

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The repair of full-thickness skin defects remains a critical biomedical challenge owing to the high risks of infection, persistent inflammation, and irreversible tissue loss, highlighting the urgent need for bioadhesive materials that integrate strong adhesion, biocompatibility, and antibacterial functionality. In this study, a natural bioadhesive termed Eucommia ulmoides gum natural bioadhesive (EUGNBA) was developed through a thermally induced conformational reorganization of Eucommia ulmoides gum, enabling robust wet-tissue adhesion without chemical crosslinkers. EUGNBA demonstrated outstanding mechanical performance, exceeding porcine fibrin adhesives in shear strength, tensile strength, and interfacial toughness by 2.06-, 2.64-, and 3.49-fold, respectively. Raman mapping and spectroscopic characterization confirmed that these superior adhesive properties originated from its conformational adaptability and multiscale interfacial interactions. Beyond mechanical superiority, EUGNBA displayed broad-spectrum antibacterial efficacy exceeding 99.9% against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, along with excellent cytocompatibility, negligible hemolysis, and tunable biodegradability in vivo. In rat wound models, EUGNBA markedly enhanced the healing of incisional and full-thickness wounds by promoting re-epithelialization, collagen maturation, and neovascularization, accompanied by activation and coordination of NF-κB-mediated inflammation resolution, Wnt-driven epithelial regeneration, and tight-junction-associated barrier restoration. Compared with commercial adhesives and sutures, EUGNBA achieved superior tissue integration and facilitated the regeneration of dermal appendages. Collectively, this study establishes a scalable approach for engineering conformationally adaptive natural bioadhesives with integrated antibacterial and regenerative functions, offering a robust and scalable platform toward next-generation wound bioadhesives and clinical translation.

Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.150834