Baicalin-based composite film integrating ginseng carbon dots and Rg1 for infected wounds

Infected cutaneous wounds are characterized by bacterial burden, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), and persistent inflammation. Here, we developed a TCHM-inspired composite film (CRBCG) by incorporating ginseng leaf–derived carbon dots (CDs) and ginsenoside Rg1 into a baicalin/gelatin/chitosan matrix. The resulting films exhibited a homogeneous microstructure and maintained favorable hydrophilicity and hydration capacity. Among the tested formulations, CRBCG showed the highest H 2 O 2 and DPPH• scavenging activities, reaching 89.24% and 95.24%, respectively. In an H 2 O 2 -injured fibroblast model, CRBCG promoted cell proliferation and migration, reduced intracellular ROS-related fluorescence, and showed no obvious cytotoxicity under the tested conditions. CRBCG also exhibited antibacterial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus . In a mouse full-thickness infected wound model, CRBCG promoted wound closure, improved re-epithelialization and collagen remodeling, reduced inflammation-related signals, and was associated with higher expression of angiogenesis-related markers compared with the untreated control. These findings suggest that multicomponent TCHM-based composite films are promising candidates for infected wound dressing applications.