Multifunctional agar/CAR hydrogel films containing pomegranate peel extract, clove essential oil, and tranexamic acid for hemostasis, infection control, and skin regeneration

Uncontrolled hemorrhage, bacterial infection, and delayed healing complicate cutaneous wound management. To address this, multifunctional agar/CAR hydrogel films were developed containing PPE (5% w/w), CEO (1% w/w), and TXA (1–2% w/w; S1–S6). TXA inclusion enhanced matrix flexibility and fluid handling; formulation S6 (2% TXA) achieved ∼380% swelling at 180 min and S6 exhibited approximately 95% mass loss over 7 days. All active formulations demonstrated high hemocompatibility (<2% hemolysis) and strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus, E. coli , and P. aeruginosa . Furthermore, TXA-loaded hydrogels exhibited marked anti-inflammatory performance, with S6 suppressing protein denaturation by ∼89%. Hemostatic capability was significantly enhanced: in vitro blood clotting index (BCI) decreased from 100% (control) to 11.1% (S6). In vivo Wistar rat models confirmed rapid hemostasis; S6 reduced tail amputation blood loss to 0.05 ± 0.01 g (an 88% reduction versus untreated control at 0.33 ± 0.01 g) and effectively suppressed liver laceration bleeding. Taken together, S6 represents a safe and multifunctional platform integrating hemostatic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing functions.