PhytoAid: A Red Cabbage Anthocyanin Hydrogel Patch as a Smart Wound Dressing with Infection-Sensing and Antioxidant Potential

About the Project

Wound infections remain a significant healthcare challenge, where delayed detection of infection may result in prolonged healing, increased healthcare costs, and severe complications. While conventional wound dressings primarily serve as a protective barrier, they lack the ability to provide early visual indication of infection or actively promote wound healing. However, there is a meager amount of research on the ability of anthocyanins to detect bacterial infections on open wounds. This study aims to explore the potential of a hydrogel based wound patch infused with red cabbage (Brassica oleracea) extract as a multifunctional dressing that can provide visual identification for infections as well as providing antibacterial and antioxidant properties that aids with effective wound healing. The desired results were achieved through multiple iterative rounds of research and development to determine the most suitable product, followed by an evaluation of its antibacterial properties as well as its ability to detect pH changes in simulated wound environments. The experiments proved that the red cabbage infused hydrogel managed to yield successful results. First, the red cabbage-infused hydrogel was able to distinctly detect the changes in the wound environment due to its pH-sensitive colour changing properties within 3 to 5 minutes. Second, the hydrogel was able to exhibit significant antioxidant radical scavenging activity and measurable zones of antibacterial inhibition against common bacteria. The findings suggest that a Brassica oleracea infused hydrogel can serve as a real-time detection tool to check for infection without disrupting newly found tissue and introducing contamination risks. Furthermore, the results quantifies the patch’s antioxidant capacity and establishes its antibacterial efficacy. Moreover, the use of biodegradable biopolymer matrix and organic indicators derived from fruit can promote circular economy, reduce medical plastics wastes and align with UN Sustainable Development Goals 3.