A significant breakthrough has been achieved in the field of biomedical materials, with Chinese scientists successfully developing a highly original mucus-inspired hydrogel. This material exhibits excellent resistance to gastric acid and can significantly promote the healing of gastrointestinal tissues, providing a novel solution for the treatment of related diseases.

Traditional hydrogels, due to their excellent biocompatibility and water-holding capacity, have been widely used in wound repair and sustained drug release. However, they are prone to decomposition and inactivation in the highly acidic environment of the stomach, greatly limiting their application in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Inspired by the natural structure and function of human gastric mucus, the research team successfully constructed an "ultra-stable mucus-mimicking hydrogel" (UMIH) through innovative molecular design. This material not only maintains structural stability under extremely acidic conditions, but its mucosal adhesion strength is also more than 15 times that of commonly used clinical gastric mucosal protectants, demonstrating outstanding potential in wound coverage, long-acting drug delivery, and postoperative repair.

This research, a collaboration between research teams from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Sichuan University, has been published in the internationally renowned academic journal *Cell Reports Physical Science*. Experimental data shows that in a simulated gastric juice environment (pH=2), UMIH exhibits a wet adhesion strength as high as 64.7 kPa, significantly higher than existing clinical materials. It retains approximately half of its structural integrity after seven days, while the control material completely degrades within three days. Furthermore, in vitro cell experiments confirmed that the hydrogel is non-toxic and possesses the ability to inhibit common pathogenic bacteria such as  Escherichia coli  and  Staphylococcus aureus , demonstrating excellent biosafety and antibacterial properties.

The research team leader pointed out, "This technology provides a new tool for the treatment of diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux and gastric ulcers, and can also be used for postoperative wound protection. Combined with endoscopic interventional techniques, it is expected to achieve minimally invasive and precise drug delivery and repair. This platform can not only be immediately applied to gastrointestinal treatment, but also lays the material foundation for the development of a new generation of intelligent implantable devices."

It is understood that UMIH is constructed from a synergistic combination of multiple functional molecules, including biomimetic proteins that can bind hydrogen ions and regulate local pH in acidic environments, natural polyphenols that enhance adhesion, and cross-linking molecules that stabilize the three-dimensional network structure under acidic conditions. This multi-cross-linking design strategy allows the hydrogel to maintain its soft, injectable physical properties even in strong acids, making it highly suitable for clinical use.

In animal model experiments, UMIH can firmly adhere to the esophageal injury site in pigs and rats, effectively reducing tissue inflammation and promoting angiogenesis, thereby accelerating wound healing, with better results than existing clinical control drugs.

Currently, all components of this hydrogel have passed biosafety verification, and its preparation process is simple and cost-effective, possessing the potential for large-scale production and clinical translation. In the future, the research team plans to further integrate a drug-controlled release system with flexible sensing elements to develop intelligent gastrointestinal medical devices that combine therapeutic and real-time monitoring functions, promoting the development of personalized and precision medicine.