Sustainable Bioactive Hydrogels Engineered with Liquidambar orientalis Extracts: pH‐Dependent Release Behavior and Wound Healing Potential

Bioactive hydrogel films were developed by incorporating Liquidambar orientalis leaf extract (LOLE) and resin extract (LORE) into PVA/starch, PVA/chitosan, chitosan/gelatin, and chitosan matrices. HPLC‐DAD identified myricetin as a major LOLE marker and trans‐cinnamic acid as the predominant LORE compound, while SEM and FT‐IR analyses supported extract incorporation and possible interactions within the hydrogel networks. The films exhibited polymer‐ and extract‐dependent physicochemical behavior. LOLE‐loaded chitosan films showed the highest swelling capacity (350%) and the highest in vitro mass loss after 14 days. Release studies demonstrated matrix‐dependent and pH‐dependent behavior within the tested pH range, with faster release generally observed at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.4; LOLE‐loaded chitosan/gelatin films released 85.3% of the extract within 12 h at pH 5.5. LOLE‐loaded hydrogels showed stronger antioxidant activity, whereas LORE‐loaded films exhibited stronger antimicrobial performance against wound‐associated microorganisms, reflecting their distinct phytochemical profiles. The extracts also showed antibiofilm, anti‐quorum sensing, enzyme‐inhibitory, and preliminary scratch wound closure activities, with no apparent cytotoxicity toward HEK‐293T cells. LORE showed notable tyrosinase inhibition (IC 50 : 20.18 µg/mL), suggesting pigmentation‐related relevance. Overall, these findings support further investigation of L. orientalis ‐derived hydrogel films as sustainable bioactive wound dressing platforms, although mechanical, stability, and in vivo validations remain necessary.