A transparent multifunctional sericin-glycyrrhizic acid-Zn2+ hydrogel dressing with synergistic antioxidant and antimicrobial activities for wound healing.

Multifunctional hydrogel dressings are highly promising for wound healing due to their ability to maintain an optimal microenvironment. In this study, a novel transparent sericin-glycyrrhizic acid‑zinc ion (SGZ) hydrogel was developed via a facile one-pot method by integrating sericin, glycyrrhizic acid (GA), and Zn2+. The hydrogel dressing undergoes rapid gelation within 26 s and exhibits notable antibacterial activity, with bactericidal rates of up to 87.7 % against Staphylococcus aureus and 47.5 % against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, it demonstrates antioxidant capacities, showing ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging rates of 65.11 % and 42.31 %, respectively. The hydrogel also possesses favorable mechanical properties, allowing it to conform effectively to skin surfaces, along with pH-responsive swelling/degradation behavior and high biocompatibility. Furthermore, in vivo studies demonstrated that the SGZ hydrogel effectively promotes wound healing of full-thickness skin injury in a mouse model. Thereby, the SGZ hydrogel has great potential in wound repair and management.