Thermosensitive bovine lactoferricin-loaded chitosan hydrogels for sustained antibacterial release: An alternative to antibiotics for treating bovine mastitis

The overuse of antibiotics in livestock production poses a significant threat to public health, primarily by accelerating the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria—a critical global issue. Therefore, the development of effective alternatives to antibiotics is urgently required to address this problem. In this study, BLfcin-NPs@CS/β-GP thermosensitive hydrogels were developed by incorporating bovine lactoferricin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles into a chitosan/β-GP hydrogel matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the formation of a three-dimensional porous structure. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed successful synthesis, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that nanoparticle incorporation did not alter the crystallinity of the hydrogel. The rheological properties, in vitro degradation, biocompatibility, and antibacterial activity of the composite hydrogels were systematically evaluated, and the results demonstrated that the composite hydrogels exhibited temperature sensitivity, enhanced degradation rates, low cytotoxicity, and strong antibacterial activity. These findings suggest that BLfcin-NPs@CS/β-GP hydrogels present a promising alternative to antibiotics for treating bacterial infections, such as bovine mastitis, offering an innovative and effective strategy to reduce antibiotic use and mitigate the risk of antibiotic resistance in livestock production.