Excessive oxidative stress, bacterial infections, and
inflammation
are the primary factors impeding the healing of skin wounds. Bioactive
hydrogels are commonly employed in the treatment of skin injuries.
However, the limited solubility of many drugs and active agents in
water significantly hampers their effectiveness in hydrogel dressings.
In this research, prior to incorporation into the silk fibroin (SF)
hydrogel matrix, two active agents curcumin and silver nanoparticles
(Ag NPs) were decorated by silk sericin to improve their dispersibility
and stability in water. The resultant SF/Ag/C hydrogels combined the
biological safety and nontoxicity of SF, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
efficacy of curcumin, and the antibacterial effect of Ag NPs. These
properties effectively enhanced wound repair by reducing bacterial
infections, mitigating oxidative stress, suppressing the expression
of pro-inflammatory factors, and promoting angiogenesis. This study
presented a straightforward approach for constructing bioactive hydrogels
for the promotion of the wound healing process.