Fabrication and characterization of pH-sensitive, injectable, and antibacterial hydrogel based on graphene–chitosan for curcumin delivery

In this study, pH-sensitive and injectable hydrogel according to graphene and chitosan was easily manufactured using terephthaldialdehyde as a crosslinking agent for efficient curcumin delivery. FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and SEM–EDX were used to analyze the hydrogel’s structure. UV–vis was used to investigate curcumin release. In vitro release studies showed that the release of curcumin from the hydrogel was accelerated by decreasing the pH from 7.4 to 5.4. The antibacterial action of the hydrogel was also analyzed; the hydrogel exhibited inhibition against both Gram-positive ( Bacillus cereus ) and Gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli ). According to the MTT assay, the hydrogel has proper biocompatibility. The findings recommend that hydrogel possesses the potential for use as a new therapeutic system.