Wound healing is a complex biological process often hindered by inflammation and bacterial infection. Electrically conductive polymers offer a promising strategy to accelerate tissue regeneration by mimicking the body’s natural electrical signaling pathways. This study aims to develop and evaluate novel choline-based bio-ionic liquid modified alginate hydrogels with enhanced electrical conductivity, antimicrobial activity, and biocompatibility for advanced wound healing applications. In this study, methacrylated sodium alginate (MALG) was functionalized with a series of choline-based conductive ionic liquids to create a range of bioactive hydrogels, including MALG modified with choline chloride (MALG-CCL), choline acetate (MALG-CA), choline propionate (MALG-CP), choline glycolate (MALG-CG), choline succinate (MALG-CS), and choline benzoate (MALG-CB). Comprehensive physicochemical characterization, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confirmed the successful incorporation of ionic liquids and favorable structural and thermal properties. Mechanical testing and electrical conductivity measurements further validated the robustness and electroactivity of the modified hydrogels. Among the six formulations, three exhibited notable antibacterial activity with inhibition zones ranging from 9 to 19 mm after 24 h. In vitro cytocompatibility assays demonstrated high cell viability (70–110%) in NIH3T3 fibroblasts for all formulations, except MALG-CS. Importantly, in vivo wound healing studies in a murine model revealed accelerated tissue regeneration, with the best-performing hydrogels achieving 58–97% wound closure by day 4 and near-complete healing (97–100%) by day 8. These results underscore the potential of choline-based conductive alginate hydrogels as next-generation wound dressings, combining electrical conductivity, antimicrobial activity, and biocompatibility to facilitate rapid and effective skin tissue repair. This study presents a simple and eco-friendly approach to creating multifunctional biomaterials that address critical clinical needs in regenerative medicine and wound care.
Gulzar et al. (Sat,) studied this question.