ChromPATCH: Cutting-Edge Chromolaena odorata-Loaded Hybrid Hydrogel Wound Dressing Material for Sustained Healing

Wound management remains a global challenge, particularly for delayed healing and severe infections. Hydrogel dressings have emerged as advanced wound care materials, with increasing interest in incorporating bioactive compounds such as plant extracts. Chromolaena odorata (daun kapal terbang), often considered an invasive species, possesses antioxidant, antibacterial, anti- inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. This study harnessed its medicinal potential to develop a novel, eco-friendly biopolymer hydrogel wound dressing. The hydrogel, formulated using cross-linked chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), demonstrated excellent mechanical strength, high swelling capacity, and antibacterial activity key characteristics of an ideal wound dressing. The strong swelling behaviour of PVA and chitosan ensures extended wound contact and gradual release of C. odorata extract, enabling controlled, sustained bioactive delivery. The hydrogel's release profile follows zero-order kinetics with a diffusion-dominated mechanism, as described by the Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models, ensuring a moist wound environment and prolonged therapeutic effect. This biocompatible and mechanically resilient hydrogel represents a sustainable, plant-based innovation in wound care, offering an effective alternative for enhanced healing.