A Multifunctional Chitosan-Based Hydrogel for Sustained Support throughout Wound Healing

Effective wound management requires dressings that can maintain a moist environment, prevent infection, mitigate oxidative stress, and accommodate dynamic skin movements. However, conventional hydrogel dressings are often limited by insufficient mechanical flexibility and limited multifunctionality. To overcome these limitations, we designed a multifunctional chitosan-based hydrogel wound dressing through sequential modification with lysine and gallic acid. The incorporation of lysine enhanced the amino group density, which improved the antibacterial efficacy of the CLG hydrogel, while gallic acid introduced potent antioxidant activity and mussel-inspired adhesion capabilities. The CLG hydrogel also demonstrates a high swelling ratio, which enables efficient absorption of wound exudate. In vivo evaluations confirmed accelerated wound closure, enhanced collagen deposition, and stimulated angiogenesis. These properties enable the CLG hydrogel to provide sustained protection and multifunctional support throughout the different phases of wound healing, highlighting its potential for translational applications in advanced wound care.