Sustainable Chitosan–PF127 Hydrogel Incorporating Waste Lemon Peel Hydrochar and Pistachio Resin for Antibacterial Activity and MRSA-Infected Wound Healing
Journal of Polymers and the Environment, cilt.34, sa.10, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 34 Sayı: 10
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10924-026-03975-4
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Polymers and the Environment
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, Environment Index, Geobase, Greenfile, Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Earth, Atmospheric, & Aquatic Science Collection (ProQuest), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Pharma Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Chitosan, Hydrochar, Hydrogel, MRSA, PF127, Wound healing
- Çukurova Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The development of sustainable wound dressings with potent antibacterial activity is of growing interest for the treatment of drug-resistant infections. In this study, a multifunctional chitosan–Pluronic F127 (CS–PF127) hydrogel incorporating waste lemon peel–derived hydrochar and natural pistachio resin was developed for the management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-infected wounds. The hydrogel exhibited excellent biocompatibility and hemocompatibility while maintaining suitable mechanical and rheological properties for wound dressing applications. Among all formulations, the CS–PF127–BC–PR hydrogel demonstrated the strongest antibacterial activity against MRSA, producing an inhibition zone of 22.4 ± 1.2 mm, which was greater than that of the reference antibiotic cefoxitin (16 mm). Bacterial cell membrane disruption and severe morphological damage were observed following treatment. In an MRSA-infected rat wound model, the hydrogel effectively eliminated infection and significantly accelerated wound closure, tissue regeneration, re-epithelialization, and collagen deposition compared with control groups. Histopathological analyses further confirmed enhanced healing and reduced inflammatory responses. Molecular docking studies supported the antibacterial potential of α-pinene, the major constituent of pistachio resin, against key MRSA-associated targets. These findings demonstrate that the combination of waste-derived hydrochar and natural pistachio resin within a CS–PF127 matrix provides a sustainable and effective strategy for the treatment of MRSA-infected wounds, highlighting its potential as a next-generation antibacterial wound dressing.