Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Polymer Bulletin, cilt.83, sa.4, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a global public health crisis, largely driven by the inappropriate use of antibiotics. To address this challenge, alternative therapeutic strategies, particularly those based on natural sources, are being actively explored. This study aimed to develop and evaluate novel hydrogel formulations incorporating pomegranate seed-derived hydrochar and tamanu oil into a chitosan-PF127 matrix, with the goal of combating multidrug-resistant bacteria. The synthesized hydrogels were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Their antibacterial activities were assessed in vitro against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; BAA-43300), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (A. Baumannii, BAA-1792), Escherichia coli (E.Coli, BAA-2340), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae, BAA-1705) using disk diffusion and time-kill assays. Biocompatibility was evaluated using NIH3T3 fibroblast cells. The hydrogel formulations exhibited no cytotoxicity up to 1500 µg/mL. Among them, the tamanu oil and hydrochar-loaded chitosan-PF127 hydrogels demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity, particularly against A. baumannii, K. pneumoniae, and MRSA. Against A. baumannii, the CS-PF127-PH-T formulation produced a 14 mm inhibition zone and demonstrated significant antibacterial activity, achieving approximately 97% biofilm inhibition. SEM analysis further revealed that these hydrogels caused significant morphological disruption in A. baumannii cells. The findings suggest that these bio-based hydrogel systems have promising potential as alternative antibacterial agents for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens.