In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Green-Synthesized ZnO Nanoparticle-Reinforced Hydroxyethyl Cellulose Biocomposite Derived from Sugarcane Bagasse Cellulose for Skin Tissue Repair

Sustainable bioactive wound dressings have attracted considerable attention for enhancing skin tissue regeneration. In this research, sugarcane bagasse (SCB)-derived cellulose was converted into hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) and blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Type A gelatin and succinic acid (SA) to fabricate crosslinked nanobiocomposite hydrogel films reinforced with Aloe vera -mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). The hydrogels were prepared by solution casting and characterized by FTIR, XRD, FESEM and TGA. Structural characterisation showed homogeneous dispersion of ZnO NPs throughout the polymer network, with a mean particle diameter of approximately 72 nm. The optimized HEC/PVA/Succinic acid/Gelatin/ZnO NPs (HPSGZ) biocomposite demonstrated a tensile strength of 12.30 ± 0.03 MPa (n = 3), a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 2340 ± 5 g m⁻² day⁻¹, together with a swelling ratio of 1140 ± 5% at pH 7.4, demonstrating favorable moisture management. The hydrogel exhibited pronounced antibacterial efficacy toward Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli , enhanced antioxidant activity, excellent hemocompatibility and >95% Vero cell viability after 72 h. In vivo evaluation demonstrated approximately 96 ± 2% wound closure within 12 days, accompanied by accelerated tissue regeneration. These findings indicate that the developed HPSGZ nanobiocomposite offers a sustainable and effective platform for advanced wound management.