Cationic starch microparticles with integrated antibacterial and hemostatic performance

It is urgently demanded to develop biomaterials with balanced hemostatic/antibacterial ability and facile preparation methods. In this work, cationic starch microparticles (MSQP), prepared by the facile grafting of microporous starch particles (MS) with tunable quaternized polyethyleneimine, were readily constructed as promising hemostatic materials for integrated antibacterial and hemostatic performance. The cationic grafts not only endowed MSQP with good antibacterial ability, but also benefited from biocompatible MS to achieve favorable biocompatibility. Moreover, in vitro results confirmed the superior hemostatic property of MSQP2 (with the medium content of cationic grafts) among three MSQP and pristine MS. After investigating the blood-material interactions of MSQP/MS, the procoagulant mechanism of MSQP2 was revealed that the optimal amount of cationic grafts achieves highly balanced plasma-protein adhesion, platelet adhesion and blood coagulation system. In vivo artery-injury model further demonstrated the superior hemostatic performance of MSQP2 for potential severe hemorrhage. This work sheds light on the design of cationic polymer-based biomaterials for balanced antibacterial and hemostatic functions.