Morin-functionalized pHEMA cryogel membranes for combating MDR Escherichia coli and MRSA: antibacterial efficacy and molecular docking study.

In this study, morin-loaded poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) cryogels were successfully synthesized and characterized. The swelling behavior of the cryogels was evaluated, and their biocompatibility was assessed against L929 fibroblast cells. The antibacterial efficacy of the cryogel membranes against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was investigated using disk diffusion and time-kill assays, while bacteria-induced morphological alterations were visualized by SEM. Molecular docking studies were performed to elucidate the interaction mechanisms of morin with 4DUH, 4DX5, 4WUB, and 5NC5 proteins, yielding docking scores of - 5.578, - 4.142, - 6.955, and - 4.607 kcal/mol, respectively. The strongest binding affinity was observed for 4WUB, supported by the lowest docking score and a Glide emodel value of - 58.834, indicating a stable ligand-protein complex. The synthesized cryogels exhibited a high swelling ratio of 97.89 ± 14.21% and demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, with L929 cell viability ranging from 86 to 100% after 48 h of exposure, even at the highest tested dose of 1.5 mg, confirming the absence of cytotoxic effects. The MM1 and MM2 cryogel membranes showed pronounced antibacterial activity against MDR E. coli, producing inhibition zones of 16.1 mm and 17.6 mm, respectively. In time-kill assays, MM1 exhibited inhibition rates of 48.3% against MRSA and 91.6% against MDR E. coli at the 8th hour, while MM2 achieved enhanced inhibition rates of 57.1% and 99.6%, respectively. Overall, these findings indicate that morin-loaded pHEMA cryogel membranes represent promising antibacterial platforms for the treatment of infected wounds and for medical device surface coatings to prevent bacterial colonization and infection.