Work

A Mussel-Inspired Hydrogel Loaded with Ginsenoside Rh1 for Perianal Ulcer Healing

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Perianal ulcers remain challenging to treat because of persistent moisture, high mobility, recurrent infection, and prolonged inflammation at the lesion site. Herein, we developed a mussel-inspired, paintable hydrogel dressing loaded with ginsenoside Rh1 for multifunctional perianal ulcer management. The hydrogel was constructed from dopamine, chitosan, graphene oxide (GO), and polyvinyl alcohol, forming a physically and chemically dual-crosslinked network with robust wet-tissue adhesion, shear-thinning behavior, and structural stability. Optimization of the GO content revealed that the formulation with 0.5 mg/mL GO exhibited the best overall balance of mechanical properties, drug release behavior, and biocompatibility. The hydrogel showed pH-responsive sustained release of Rh1, low hemolysis (<2.45%), good cytocompatibility, antioxidant activity, and rapid hemostatic capability. Under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, the GO-containing hydrogel also displayed stable photothermal responsiveness and effective antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In a rat perianal ulcer model, the Rh1-loaded hydrogel significantly accelerated wound repair, achieving a healing rate of 96.78% by day 14. Histological analyses further confirmed enhanced re-epithelialisation, collagen deposition, and tissue remodeling after treatment. These results indicate that the DA/CS/GO/PVA-Rh1 hydrogel is a promising multifunctional dressing for the treatment of difficult-to-heal perianal ulcers.

Source: Biomimetics

DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics11100726

Authors: Chaorui Jiang, Zezhou Xu, Zhenglei Yu

Institution: Jilin University

Language: English

Topic: Wound Healing and Treatments

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,654