Fabrication and characterization of tragacanth gum-based hydrogel for wound dressing applications

In this study, a tragacanth gum–based hydrogel was fabricated and characterized for biomedical applications. Tragacanth gum was selected as a natural, water-soluble polymer, and tannic acid was employed as a crosslinking agent. The prepared hydrogels containing different concentrations of tannic acid (4, 8, and 12 wt%) were investigated. Subsequently, Origano vulgare extract at concentrations of 10 and 20 wt% was incorporated into the optimized hydrogel formulation. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of tannic acid reduced the drug release rate, enhanced mechanical strength, and improved the structural properties of the hydrogel. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed increased surface roughness and heterogeneity upon the addition of tannic acid and the extract. The hydrogel containing 20% Origano vulgare extract exhibited desirable antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Cytotoxicity and cell adhesion assays further confirmed the biocompatibility of the prepared samples. Considering these properties, the developed hydrogel can be regarded as a promising candidate for biomedical applications, particularly as a wound dressing.