Keratin Hydrogels Support the Sustained Release of Bioactive Ciprofloxacin

The study demonstrated that keratin hydrogels, derived from keratose, effectively supported the sustained release of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, which remained bioactive and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth for 23 days in vitro and 2 weeks in a mouse model. Approximately 60% of the ciprofloxacin was released within the first 10 days, with continued release over 3 weeks, correlating with the hydrogel's degradation rather than simple diffusion. This suggests potential applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, particularly for preventing infections in traumatic injuries.