Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Nanofibrous Membranes for Treatment of Bacterial Wound Infections

Bacterial wound infections pose a significant challenge for both patients and healthcare providers. To effectively treat bacterial wound infections, it is critical to develop functional wound dressings that can eradicate bacteria and promote wound healing. Herein, we report a facile and eco-friendly route for preparing a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive bifunctional botanicals nanofibrous membrane as a wound dressing for the synergistic treatment of bacterial wound infections. The as-prepared nanofibrous membrane consisted of poly(vinyl alcohol) as a support matrix, tannic acid–Fe(III) nanoparticles as NIR laser-activated photothermal nanoagents, and berberine hydrochloride as the active botanicals. The bifunctional nanofibrous membrane exhibited high porosity, hydrophilicity, breathability, and biocompatibility, rendering it an optimal wound dressing. More importantly, the bifunctional nanofibrous membrane exhibited a synergistic sterilization performance under NIR laser irradiation to produce sufficient hyperthermia and on-demand release of botanicals. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the nanofibrous membrane could effectively kill bacteria in the early stages of infected wounds, promote collagen deposition, and accelerate wound healing. In summary, our bifunctional nanofibrous membrane presents immense potential for clinical applications in preventing bacterial infections and promoting skin repair.