Fabrication of mannitol-calcium alginate hydrogels loaded with L-shikonin via three-dimensional printing:investigation of in vitro drug release and antibacterial properties
SHAN Wenxi
LI Heng
CAO Zheng
WU Jiang
Abstract：Objective To fabricate a mannitol-calcium alginate dressing loaded with L-shikonin by integrating digital design and three-dimensional printing(3DP)technology,and to evaluate its in vitro drug release and antibacterial properties.Methods L-shikonin at gradient concentrations of 50,100,200,400,800,and 1 600 mg/L was used as the drug loading group,and 100 μg penicillin group was used as the control group,which were respectively loaded into 40 g/L mannitol-sodium alginate.A shikonin-mannitol-calcium alginate grid hydrogel(15 mm × 15 mm × 3 mm)was prepared using 3DP technology.The cross-sectional three-dimensional porous structure of the material was observed using scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The drug release profile was assessed using the dynamic diffusion method,and the antibacterial properties were evaluated using colony-forming unit counting and crystal violet staining.Results The printed appearance showed a precision of±0.15 mm compared to the computer-aided design model,with clear geometric contours at the edges.SEM revealed a well-structured porous drug-loading matrix.The in vitro drug release standard curve demonstrated a typical sustained-release profile,with no burst release or plateau phase.The antibacterial performance was significant:the dilution plating method confirmed that the 200 mg/L dressing group achieved complete inhibition(inhibition rate＞99.9％)against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli at 24 h.Crystal violet staining indicated that the drug-loaded dressing exhibited an effective inhibition rate against 48-hour mature biofilms that surpassed the antibacterial efficacy of conventional drugs for combat trauma(P＜0.01).Conclusion Digital design combined with 3DP technology enables the construction of hydrogels with specific shapes loaded with various drugs,achieving targeted drug release and high-efficiency antibacterial functions.This approach holds promise as a novel strategy for the healing of maxillofacial combat trauma.
Keywords：three-dimensional printingL-shikonincombat traumahydrogel dressingsimmediate crosslinkingporous structuredrug releaseantibacterial properties
Publication Date：2025-10-31
Online Publishing Date：2026-08-26(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 1300-1305 )