Dissolvable microneedles co-loaded with phycocyanin and Fe3+/EGCG nanoparticles for photothermal antibacterial and ROS-scavenging.

Abstract

Infected skin wounds remain a clinical challenge due to bacterial infection, excessive oxidative stress, and limited drug penetration. Here, we develop a hyaluronic acid (HA)-based dissolvable microneedle patch co-loaded with phycocyanin (Ph) and Fe3+/EGCG self-assembled nanoparticles (F/E NP). The resulting F/E NP@MN exhibits sufficient mechanical strength to penetrate the skin and rapidly dissolves in interstitial fluid, enabling efficient intradermal delivery of both Ph and F/E NP. Upon 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, F/E NP generate localized hyperthermia, exerting concentration-dependent photothermal bactericidal activity against E. coli and S. aureus. Meanwhile, the released EGCG and Ph effectively scavenge intracellular ROS and alleviate oxidative stress, as confirmed by ABTS radical scavenging and DCFH-DA intracellular ROS assays. Benefiting from the biogenic HA matrix, F/E NP@MN shows excellent cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility. This integrated platform combines photothermal sterilization with ROS scavenging, offering a promising multifunctional strategy for potential biomedical applications.

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