Inguinal hernia, with its high incidence rate, is primarily treated by surgery, and tension-free repair using a synthetic mesh has been established as the standard method[[1], [2], [3], [4]]. However, despite advancements in surgical techniques, inguinal hernia repair remains associated with several complications, including hernia recurrence, chronic pain, tissue adhesion, and wound infection [5]. Among these, bacterial infections related to hernia mesh are a common and severe side effect in abdominal surgeries. Such infections can exacerbate inflammatory responses and lead to abdominal tissue adhesions, further hindering patient recovery[[6], [7], [8]]. Consequently, developing strategies to modify hernia meshes to effectively mitigate surgery-related bacterial infections and visceral adhesions has become a focus of recent research.

Although previous studies have attempted to enhance mesh performance through surface functionalization, such as graphene oxide coatings [9], antibiotic loading [10], and the incorporation of metal particles doped with natural plant extracts [11,12], balancing effective antibacterial and anti-adhesion functions while ensuring long-term drug release remains a significant challenge. In recent years, the development of active compounds from natural products has gained considerable attention owing to their favorable biocompatibility and multifaceted pharmacological activities [13,14]. Cryptotanshinone (CPT), a lipophilic active compound derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza, has garnered significant attention for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties [15]. Li et al. successfully enhanced its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties by incorporating cryptotanshinone into photothermal synergistic MXene@PDA nanosheets, demonstrating its potential for accelerating wound healing [16]. Meanwhile, CPT-based delivery systems have been developed for applications such as postoperative anti-adhesion and wound healing. For instance, Zhang et al. designed a hydrogel system composed of oxidized fucoidan (OFu) and hydrazide-functionalized F127 nanomicelles for CPT loading, which effectively inhibited the formation of postoperative abdominal adhesions [17]. In the context of tissue repair, Li et al. demonstrated that CPT not only promotes wound healing but also helps prevent and reduce scar formation [18]. These findings collectively confirm the therapeutic potential of CPT in tissue regeneration and underscore the importance of constructing efficient release systems to improve its clinical applicability. However, its lipophilic nature limits its solubility and drug release in aqueous environments, thereby restricting its antibacterial efficacy [19].

To solve the above problems, it is crucial to develop new delivery systems that can effectively regulate the release behavior of hydrophobic drugs. Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), a non-toxic cellulose derivative, is characterized by excellent biocompatibility and hydrophilicity. The randomly distributed hydroxyethyl groups along its polymer chain endow HEC with superior solubility and functionality as a drug carrier [20,21]. For instance, Ghorpade et al. developed citric acid-crosslinked β-cyclodextrin/hydroxyethyl cellulose hydrogel films to control the delivery of poorly soluble drugs, achieving long-term release [22]. Xu et al. investigated bioinspired triggered-release hydroxyethyl cellulose@Prussian blue microparticles, which demonstrated desirable antibacterial activity and biofilm removal efficacy [23]. Tudoroiu et al. designed a smart pH-sensitive collagen-hydroxyethyl cellulose membrane loaded with naproxen, intended to provide controlled drug release for burn wound healing [24]. Studies have shown that hydrophilic and non-charged surfaces exhibit exceptional performance in drug delivery systems [25,26]. Therefore, utilizing HEC as a carrier material can not only significantly enhance the solubility and release properties of CPT through its hydrophilicity, but also prevents adhesion of viscera.

Various natural product-based drug delivery systems have been explored for postoperative antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and tissue repair applications, particularly those utilizing controlled release platforms for phytochemicals such as curcumin, aloe-emodin, and gallic acid. This further illustrates that constructing an efficient and controllable natural drug delivery system has universal scientific research and clinical value [27,28]. While these approaches have improved the applicability of natural compounds to some extent, they commonly suffer from limitations such as short release durations and poor structural stability.

In this work, we innovatively developed a multilayered composite system using HEC and CPT. The hydrophilicity of HEC facilitates the modulation of CPT release kinetics in aqueous environments, significantly prolonging its therapeutic activity. To validate the efficacy of this delivery system, we functionalized the hernia mesh with the aim of directly assessing its performance in inhibiting bacterial infection and controlling inflammatory responses. Unlike conventional wet processing or chemical crosslinking techniques, we employed low-energy electron beam deposition (EBD) to fabricate the films under clean, solvent-free vacuum conditions. This approach is not only facile and efficient but also enables precise control over film thickness and layering, thereby allowing precise tuning of the release profile and enhancement of antibacterial performance.

Based on this, the present study proposes an innovative drug delivery strategy by constructing a multilayer composite film composed of HEC and CPT using EBD, aiming to address the delivery challenges associated with the lipophilic drug CPT. The core delivery principle of this strategy lies in utilizing the water-swelling property of HEC to effectively regulate the diffusion behavior of CPT, thereby achieving the goal of long-term and stable drug release. The synergistic interaction between HEC and CPT not only significantly enhances the antibacterial performance of the mesh and prolongs the drug release duration but also demonstrates potential anti-inflammatory effects. This study not only provides a novel approach for the functional optimization of hernia repair meshes but also offers a transferable technological platform for the development of localized, sustained-release drug delivery systems, holding significant scientific research value and clinical application prospects.