Anti-inflammatory/anti-bacterial dual-functional hydrogel dressing incorporating Portulaca oleracea L. extract for accelerated wound healing

Portulaca oleracea L. exhibits a wide range of pharmacological effects, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and wound healing properties. Flexible hydrogels have shown potential for clinical applications due to their excellent moisturizing properties and biocompatibility as wound dressings. However, the use of Portulaca oleracea L. extract in hydrogel wound dressings has been less reported. In this study, a novel self-adhesive hydrogel was prepared and loaded with Portulaca oleracea L. extract. The hydrogels demonstrated outstanding mechanical strength and exhibited good tissue adhesion, biocompatibility and anti-bacterial activity. Furthermore, the abundant natural alkaloids and flavonoids in Portulaca oleracea L. provided additional anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects on wounds. According to the study involving mice with skin incisions, the hydrogel exhibited a high wound closure effect and offered a promising strategy for rapid skin wound healing. The combination of Portulaca oleracea L. as a natural biological substance with hydrogel materials gave inspirational implications in wound dressing development.