Injectable carboxymethyl chitosan/konjac glucomannan/catechin hydrogel with free radical-scavenging, antimicrobial, and pro-healing abilities for infected wound repair.

Wound management presents a significant clinical challenge, requiring advanced materials to support effective healing. This study reports the development of a multifunctional injectable hydrogel wound dressing (U-COC) composed of methacrylated carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCSMA), oxidized konjac glucomannan (OKGM), and (+)-catechin hydrate (CH). The formation of the U-COC hydrogel was driven by photo-initiated polymerization, dynamic reversible Schiff base bonds, and non-covalent forces (hydrogen bond interactions, π-π stacking, and hydrophobic interactions). The in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial test results indicated that the U-COC hydrogel could effectively scavenge oxygen central free radical PTIO· (69.8 ± 0.3%) and nitrogen central free radical DPPH· (92.8 ± 0.7%), and exhibited excellent antimicrobial effects against E. coli (89.7 ± 3.9%) and S. aureus (91.4 ± 3.4%) due to the introduction of CH. Moreover, the as-designed hydrogel wound dressing was biosafe and biodegradable, demonstrating good adhesion, wound closure, self-healing properties, and shape adaptability. This hydrogel provided an advantageous microenvironment for cell proliferation, re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and tissue repair during infected wound healing. Therefore, the combination of CMCSMA, OKGM, and CH, along with the formation mechanism of the U-COC hydrogel, represents a novel advancement in wound management technology.