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The topical therapy with rifampicin (RF)-based formulations is beneficial for treating postoperative wound infections and to accelerate healing. Despite recent research highlighting the antibiotic’s significant anti-inflammatory properties, limited topical wound healing products are currently available. The present study aimed to prove that the newly synthesized nanoparticles based on grafted alginate and poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (pNVCL) and poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) contribute to the healing process of a wound. The methods used were at first the synthesis of the copolymer of alginate and pNVCL via grafting from technique and radical polymerization followed by water-in-oil-in water (W/O/W) emulsification; as oil phase PLGA dissolved in dichloromethane (DCM) was used. The formed nanoparticles were than characterized. The loaded RF was determined to be 160 µg/mL for a 20 mg formulation and within a four-hour time frame approximately 10% of the total loaded amount was released. The inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were 192.1 µg/mL for the nanoparticle, 208.8 µg/mL for pure rifampicin, and 718.1 µg/mL for the rifampicin-loaded nanoparticles. Considering the double role rifampicin was used for, the result was considered satisfactory in the way that these formulations could be used predominantly for postoperative wound irrigation in order to avoid infections and to improve healing.

We report a biocompatible hydrogel dressing based on sodium alginate-grafted poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) prepared by encapsulation of Rifampicin as an antimicrobial drug and stabilizing the matrix through the repeated freeze–thawing method. The hydrogel structure and polymer-drug compatibility were confirmed by FTIR, and a series of hydrogen-bond-based interactions between alginate and Rifampicin were identified. A concentration of 0.69% Rifampicin was found in the polymeric matrix using HPLC analysis and spectrophotometric UV–Vis methods. The hydrogel’s morphology was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, and various sizes and shapes of pores, ranging from almost spherical geometries to irregular ones, with a smooth surface of the pore walls and high interconnectivity in the presence of the drug, were identified. The hydrogels are bioadhesive, and the adhesion strength increased after Rifampicin was encapsulated into the polymeric matrix, which suggests that these compositions are suitable for wound dressings. Antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and MRSA, with an increased effect in the presence of the drug, was also found in the newly prepared hydrogels. In vitro biological evaluation demonstrated the cytocompatibility of the hydrogels and their ability to stimulate cell multiplication and mutual cell communication. The in vitro scratch assay demonstrated the drug-loaded alginate-grafted poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) hydrogel’s ability to stimulate cell migration and wound closure. All of these results suggest that the prepared hydrogels can be used as antimicrobial materials for wound healing and care applications.