In-situ crosslinked hydrogel based on amidated pectin/oxidized chitosan as potential wound dressing for skin repairing

Hydrogel can provide a favorable moisture environment for skin wound healing. In this study, a novel in-situ crosslinked injectable hydrogel was prepared using the water-soluble amidated pectin (AP) and oxidized chitosan (OC) through Schiff-base reaction without any chemical crosslinker. The influence of AP content on the properties of the hydrogel was systemically investigated. It showed that gelation time, pore structure, swelling capability and degradability of the hydrogel can be tuned by varying the content of amine and aldehyde groups from AP and OC. All the porous hydrogels with various AP contents (65%, 70%, and 80%) presented desirable gelation time, swelling property, high hemocompatibility and biocompatibility. Particularly, AP-OC-65 hydrogel presented superior swelling capability and better hemo- and bio-compatibility, owing to more residual amine sites in the hydrogel. Therefore, the injectable AP-OC-65 hydrogel has a greater potential for application to wound dressing or skin substitute.