Preparation of crude polysaccharide hydrogels from five kinds of traditional Chinese medicines and their ability to promote wound healing.

Five kinds of traditional Chinese medicines, namely Rhizoma Dioscorea Bulbiferac, Rhodiola rosea L, Spatholobus suberectus Dunn, Houttuynia cordata Thunb, and Ophioglossum pedunculosum Desv, were used as raw materials to extract crude polysaccharides using water extraction and alcohol precipitation method. The total polysaccharide content and in vitro antioxidant activity were determined; Crude polysaccharides extracted from traditional Chinese medicines were loaded into chitosan to prepare hydrogel dressings. Subsequently, the microstructure, swelling capacity, water retention, antioxidant activity, blood compatibility, and wound healing promotion ability of the obtained hydrogels were investigated. Results showed that the total polysaccharide content of Rhodiola rosea L crude polysaccharide was the highest at 77.6%. All groups of crude polysaccharide solutions exhibited certain antioxidant capacity. The crude polysaccharide solution derived from Rhizoma Dioscorea Bulbiferac demonstrated the most potent scavenging activity towards ABTS+ radicals, whereas the same solution emerged as the most effective in neutralizing DPPH radicals. Alternatively, the crude polysaccharide solution isolated from Ophioglossum pedunculosum Desv exhibited superior scavenging capability towards hydroxyl radicals. Lastly, the crude polysaccharide solution originating from Rhodiola rosea L was found to possess the highest overall reducing power. With the loading of traditional Chinese medicine crude polysaccharides, the pore size of the traditional Chinese medicine crude polysaccharide hydrogel increased, the swelling capacity enhanced, while water retention and antioxidant properties decreased to some extent. Compared to the control group, mice in the Rhizoma Dioscorea Bulbiferac crude polysaccharide hydrogel group and the Houttuynia cordata Thunb crude polysaccharide hydrogel group showed significant wound recovery, reduced scabbing, and the appearance of skin appendages such as hair follicles and sebaceous glands, with no infiltration of inflammatory cells. Additionally, at a concentration of 2000 μg/ mL crude polysaccharides, all polysaccharide hydrogels demonstrated high hemocompatibility. The crude polysaccharide hydrogel loaded with Rhizoma Dioscorea Bulbiferac and Houttuynia cordata Thunb had an obvious effect on accelerating wound recovery, and are wound dressings with potential application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]