Fabrication of pH-responsive TA-keratin bio-composited hydrogels encapsulated with photoluminescent GO quantum dots for improved bacterial inhibition and healing efficacy in wound care management: In vivo wound evaluations

Wounds origins serious complications of lives of human beings which may leads to death. The important issue for the problem is infection during wound care management which delays wound healing process. These kinds of infections may be caused by the overuse or misuse of antibiotics, antidotes, usage of new drugs, not properly sterilized surgical instruments, not appropriate for pH level and imperfect wound dressing etc. during or after surgery. Hence in this report, antimicrobial action of pH responsive TA/KA composited hydrogel crosslinked with GO-QDs (TA/KA-GOQDs) using citric acid as cross-linker has been reported by demonstrating in-vitro and in-vivo studies for wound care management. The prepared samples of GOQDs, TA/KA hydrogel and TA/KA-GOQDs were characterized using FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. pH responsive hydrogel property of TA/KA was evaluated by swelling studies. In-vitro antibacterial studies was carried out by direct contact test method. Further, the prepared samples were tested in a wound healing model of rate with the wound of size 1.5 cm2 for in-vivo studies. After 16 days of treatment, the prepared samples for wound healing causes 100% wound areas closure. Histological observations were made by MT and HE staining process which proves keratinocytes proliferation by biocompatible and biocomposited TA/KA-GOQDs. The pH responsive TA/KA-GOQDs proved as efficient wound healing agent by faster keratinocytes proliferation within a compact period. [Display omitted] •Novel fabrication of pH responsive TA/KA hydrogel loaded with GOQDs.•Effective anti-microbial efficacy against bacterial (S. aureus &E. coli) pathogens.•Effective keratinocytes proliferation by biocompatible TA/KA-GOQDs.•Prepared hydrogel dressings have 100% wound areas closure properties.