Antiseptic Strategies in Wound Management
Summary
Antiseptic strategies occupy a central role in modern wound care by directly reducing microbial colonisation, preventing biofilm formation and promoting tissue repair without systemic toxicity. Topical antiseptics such as biguanides, octenidine, povidone-iodine and hypochlorous acid operate primarily through membrane disruption, protein denaturation and oxidative mechanisms. These agents are increasingly incorporated into advanced delivery platforms—hydrogels, nanofibrous dressings, semi-solid gels and irrigation solutions—to enable controlled release, maintain a moist wound environment and overcome proteolytic interference. The global rise of chronic wounds, compounded by antimicrobial resistance and healthcare costs, has driven innovation towards multifunctional dressings that combine antimicrobial efficacy with biocompatibility, moisture management and support for cellular proliferation. Optimisation of pH, polymer matrix composition and antiseptic concentration permits tailored therapies for acute, chronic and biofilm-associated wounds, ensuring both rapid bacterial kill and minimal cytotoxicity.
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Antiseptic Strategies in Wound Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in antiseptic strategies in wound management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Hydrogel: A three-dimensional polymer network capable of absorbing large volumes of fluid while providing a moist environment and controlled drug release in wound dressings.
Biofilm: A structured community of microbial cells embedded in an extracellular matrix, highly resistant to antiseptics and antibiotics, and a major barrier to chronic wound healing.
Hypochlorous acid (HOCl): A potent oxidising antiseptic that disrupts microbial cell walls and proteins but may be inactivated by organic debris in wound exudate.
Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB): A cationic polymer antiseptic with broad-spectrum activity and low resistance potential, often integrated into hydrogels and coatings for sustained antimicrobial effect.
References
- Antiseptic-Loaded Casein Hydrogels for Wound Dressings. Pharmaceutics (2023).
- Antiseptic Chitosan-Poly(hexamethylene) Biguanide Hydrogel for the Treatment of Infectious Wounds. Journal of Functional Biomaterials (2023).
- Impact of Interfering Substances on the Bactericidal Efficacy of Different Commercially Available Hypochlorous Acid-Based Wound Irrigation Solutions Commonly Found in South-East Asia. Antibiotics (2024).
- Wound Antiseptics and European Guidelines for Antiseptic Application in Wound Treatment. Pharmaceuticals (2021).
- Therapy of infected wounds: overcoming clinical challenges by advanced drug delivery systems. Drug Delivery and Translational Research (2021).
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