Bioactive and Elastic Emulsion Electrospun DegraPol Tubes Delivering IGF-1 for Tendon Rupture Repair.

Tendon injuries can result in two major drawbacks. Adhesions to the surrounding tissue may limit the range of motion, while fibrovascular scar formation can lead to poor biomechanical outcomes. Prosthetic devices may help to mitigate those problems. Emulsion electrospinning was used to develop a novel three-layer tube based on the polymer DegraPol (DP), with incorporated insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the middle layer. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized to assess the fiber diameter in IGF-1 containing pure DP meshes. Further characterization was performed with Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, and water contact angle, as well as through the assessment of mechanical properties and release kinetics from ELISA, and the bioactivity of IGF-1 by qPCR of collagen I, ki67, and tenomodulin in rabbit Achilles tenocytes. The IGF-1-containing tubes exhibited a sustained release of the growth factor up to 4 days and showed bioactivity by significantly upregulated ki67 and tenomodulin gene expression. Moreover, they proved to be mechanically superior to pure DP tubes (significantly higher fracture strain, failure stress, and elastic modulus). The novel three-layer tubes intended to be applied over conventionally sutured tendons after a rupture may help accelerate the healing process. The release of IGF-1 stimulates proliferation and matrix synthesis of cells at the repair site. In addition, adhesion formation to surrounding tissue can be reduced due to the physical barrier.

State-of-the-Art Review of Advanced Electrospun Nanofiber Composites for Enhanced Wound Healing.

Wound healing is a complex biological process with four main phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Current treatments such as cotton and gauze may delay the wound healing process which gives a demand for more innovative treatments. Nanofibers are nanoparticles that resemble the extracellular matrix of the skin and have a large specific surface area, high porosity, good mechanical properties, controllable morphology, and size. Nanofibers are generated by electrospinning method that utilizes high electric force. Electrospinning device composed of high voltage power source, syringe that contains polymer solution, needle, and collector to collect nanofibers. Many polymers can be used in nanofiber that can be from natural or from synthetic origin. As such, electrospun nanofibers are potential scaffolds for wound healing applications. This review discusses the advanced electrospun nanofiber morphologies used in wound healing that is prepared by modified electrospinning techniques.

Multifunctional Scaffolds Based on Emulsion and Coaxial Electrospinning Incorporation of Hydroxyapatite for Bone Tissue Regeneration.

Tissue engineering is nowadays a powerful tool to restore damaged tissues and recover their normal functionality. Advantages over other current methods are well established, although a continuous evolution is still necessary to improve the final performance and the range of applications. Trends are nowadays focused on the development of multifunctional scaffolds with hierarchical structures and the capability to render a sustained delivery of bioactive molecules under an appropriate stimulus. Nanocomposites incorporating hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp NPs) have a predominant role in bone tissue regeneration due to their high capacity to enhance osteoinduction, osteoconduction, and osteointegration, as well as their encapsulation efficiency and protection capability of bioactive agents. Selection of appropriated polymeric matrices is fundamental and consequently great efforts have been invested to increase the range of properties of available materials through copolymerization, blending, or combining structures constituted by different materials. Scaffolds can be obtained from different processes that differ in characteristics, such as texture or porosity. Probably, electrospinning has the greater relevance, since the obtained nanofiber membranes have a great similarity with the extracellular matrix and, in addition, they can easily incorporate functional and bioactive compounds. Coaxial and emulsion electrospinning processes appear ideal to generate complex systems able to incorporate highly different agents. The present review is mainly focused on the recent works performed with Hap-loaded scaffolds having at least one structural layer composed of core/shell nanofibers.

In Situ Three-Dimensional Welded Nanofibrous Membranes for Robust Membrane Distillation of Concentrated Seawater.

Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising technology for treating the concentrated seawater discharged from the desalination process. Interconnected porous membranes, fabricated by additive manufacturing, have received significant attention for MD technology because of their excellent permeability. However, their poor hydrophobic durability induced by the deformation of pores constrains their water desalination performance. Herein, an in situ three-dimensional (3D) welding approach involving emulsion electrospinning is reported for fabricating robust nanofibrous membranes. The reported method is simple and effective for welding nanofibers at their intersections, and the reinforced membrane pores are uniform in the 3D space. The results show that the in situ 3D welded nanofibrous membrane, with a stability of 170 h and water recovery of 76.9%, exhibits better desalination performance than the nonwelded (superhydrophobic) nanofibrous membrane and the postwelded (superhydrophobic) nanofibrous membrane. Furthermore, the stability mechanism of the in situ 3D welded nanofibrous membrane and the two different wetting mechanisms of the nonwelded and postwelded nanofibrous membranes were investigated in the current work. More significantly, the in situ 3D welded nanofibrous membrane can further concentrate the actual concentrated seawater (121°E, 37°N) to crystallization, demonstrating its potential applications for the desalination of challenging concentrated seawater.

Air Stable Organic-Inorganic Perovskite Nanocrystals@Polymer Nanofibers and Waveguide Lasing.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have been considered as promising gain materials for lasing. Despite previous reports of lasing from nanocrystals, thin films and single crystals, the stability of perovskite lasers has been a challenge for its practical applications. Herein, a scalable strategy to prepare ultrastable perovskite@polymer hybrid fibers by employing a facile emulsion electrospinning approach is demonstrated. During the electrospinning process, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) first solidifies into an outer shell layer. Meanwhile, emulsion drops containing poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and perovskite precursor are pushed inward and evolve into perovskite nanocrystals covered by PVDF. The PMMA with smooth surface benefits the light transport and the water-resistant PVDF blocks the moisture. The methylammonium lead bromide perovskite-embedded fibers can emit intensive light after storage in humid ambient environment (relative humidity >60%) or even in water. Amplified spontaneous emissions from the fibers network and waveguide lasing from chopped single fiber is demonstrated.

Heat-treated alginate-polycaprolactone core-shell nanofibers by emulsion electrospinning process for biomedical applications.

Fabrication of Core-shell nanofibrous mat which is a promising tool for a wide range of applications in tissue engineering can be developed using water in oil (W/O) or oil in water (O/W) emulsion electrospinning. In this study, for the first time, we fabricated an O/W emulsion-based electrospun core-shell mat using polycaprolactone (PCL) as a core and the blend solution of alginate (Alg) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) as shell material. To achieve a stable core-shell mat, firstly, Alg was modified with heat treatment to decrease the molecular weight of Alg. Then, to improve the chain flexibility of Alg, PEO as a second polymer was added to facilitate its electrospinnability. The different volume ratios of O/W were then fabricated by adding PCL to the Alg-PEO solution to find an optimized emulsion solution. The morphology, swelling, and porosity of the construct were evaluated. At the same time, the mechanical characteristic of fibers was evaluated in both dry and wet conditions. This study also examined cell-scaffold interactions to address the need for a scaffolding material to be suitable for tissue engineering and biomedical applications. Finally, the result exhibited a distinct core-shell structure with better mechanical properties compared to the Alg-PEO.

In-situ enzyme-initiated production of hexanal from sunflower oil and its release from double emulsion electrospun bio-active membranes.

The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the release of the enzymatically initiated production of hexanal from double emulsion electrospun bio-active membranes at a temperature of fruit storage. Among different formulations of water-in-oil (W1/O) primary emulsions, the emulsion composed of 12% w/v Tween20 and 0.1 M NaCl in water (W1) and 6% of poly(glycerol) poly(ricinoleate) dissolved in sunflower oil (O) using W1/O ratio of 80/20 (w/w) (Tween20-NaCl/6% PGPR) was selected, for further incorporation of enzymes, based on the lowest average droplet size (391.0 ± 15.6 nm), low polydispersity index (0.255 ± 0.07), and good gravitational stability also after 14 days. Both enzymes, lipase and lipoxygenase are needed to produce hexanal (up to 58 mg/L). Additionally, double emulsions were prepared with sufficient conductivity and viscosity using different W1/O to W2 ratios for electrospinning. From the selected electrospun membrane, up to 4.5 mg/L of hexanal was released even after 92 days.

Acceleration of chondrogenic differentiation utilizing biphasic core-shell alginate sulfate electrospun nanofibrous scaffold.

Engineering new biomedical materials with tailored physicochemical, mechanical and biological virtues in order to differentiate stem cells into chondrocytes for cartilage regeneration has garnered much scientific interest. In this study, core/shell nanofibrous scaffold based on poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) as a core material and alginate sulfate (AlgS)-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blend as shell materials (AlgS-PVA/PCL) was fabricated by emulsion electrospinning. In this vein, the influence of AlgS to PVA ratio (30:70, 50:50), organic to aqueous phase ratio (1:2, 1:3 and 1:5) and acid concentration (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 %) on nanofibers morphology were investigated. SEM images depicted that AlgS to PVA ratio of 30:70 and 50:50, organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1:3 and 1:5 and acid concentration of 30 % led to uniform, bead-free fibrous mats. AlgS-PVA/PCL scaffolds with AlgS to PVA ratio of 30:70 and organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1:3, showed admirable mechanical features, high porosity (>90 %) with desirable swelling ratio in wet condition. In vitro assays indicated that the AlgS-PVA/PCL scaffold surface had desirable interaction with stem cells and promotes cells attachment, proliferation and differentiation. Thus, we envision that this salient structure could be an intriguing construction as a cartilage tissue-engineered scaffold.

Integration of Zn2+, ATP, and bFGF to Nanodressing with Core-Shell Structure Fabricated by Emulsion Electrospinning for Wound Healing.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays an important role in active wound repair. However, the existing dosage forms in clinical applications are mainly sprays and freeze-dried powders, which are prone to inactivation and cannot achieve a controlled release. In this study, a bioactive wound dressing named bFGF-ATP-Zn/polycaprolactone (PCL) nanodressing with a "core-shell" structure was fabricated by emulsion electrospinning, enabling the sustained release of bFGF. Based on the coordination and electrostatic interactions among bFGF, ATP, and Zn2+, as well as their synergistic effect on promoting wound healing, a bFGF-ATP-Zn ternary combination system was prepared with higher cell proliferation activity and used as the water phase for emulsion electrospinning. The bFGF-ATP-Zn/PCL nanodressing demonstrated improved mechanical properties, sustained release of bFGF, cytocompatibility, and hemocompatibility. It increased the proliferation activity of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and enhanced collagen secretion by 1.39 and 3.45 times, respectively, while reducing the hemolysis rate to 3.13%. The application of the bFGF-ATP-Zn/PCL nanodressing in mouse full-thickness skin defect repair showed its ability to accelerate wound healing and reduce wound scarring within 14 days. These results provide a research basis for the development and application of this bioactive wound dressing product.

Preparation of PCL/lecithin/bacteriocin CAMT6 antimicrobial and antioxidant nanofiber films using emulsion electrospinning: Characteristics and application in chilled salmon preservation.

Multi-functional packaging materials are an important development for food preservation. Emulsion electrospinning is a novel and simple method that can be used to prepare multi-functional packaging materials, which can effectively protect the loaded active substances during the preparation process. In this study, PCL/lecithin/bacteriocin CAMT6 nanofiber films with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity were prepared by emulsion electrostatic spinning. The morphology and homogeneity of the prepared nanofibrous membranes could be improved by optimising the formulation of the emulsion for electrospinning. Analytical testing of the prepared nanofiber films revealed that the nanofibers had a core-shell structure, with bacteriocin CAMT6 effectively encapsulated in the core layer and the PCL and phospholipids homogeneously mixed to form the shell layer. Additionally, the nanofiber films had acceptable tensile properties and water absorption capacity. In chilled salmon meat, the nanofiber film effectively inhibited the growth of bacteria, slowed the oxidation of oil and slowed water loss, which was a good protective effect. This study provides a reference for the encapsulation application of food-active packaging materials and bacteriocins.

In Vitro Assessment of Bacterial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation on Novel Bioactive, Biodegradable Electrospun Fiber Meshes Intended to Support Tendon Rupture Repair.

The surgical repair of a ruptured tendon faces two major problems: specifically increased fibrous adhesion to the surrounding tissue and inferior mechanical properties of the scar tissue compared to the native tissue. Bacterial attachment to implant materials is an additional problem as it might lead to severe infections and impaired recovery. To counteract adhesion formation, two novel implant materials were fabricated by electrospinning, namely, a random fiber mesh containing hyaluronic acid (HA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in a ratio of 1:1 (HA/PEO 1:1) and 1:4 (HA/PEO 1:4), respectively. Electrospun DegraPol (DP) treated with silver nanoparticles (DP-Ag) was developed to counteract the bacterial attachment. The three novel materials were compared to the previously described DP and DP with incorporated insulin-like growth factor-1 (DP-IGF-1), two implant materials that were also designed to improve tendon repair. To test whether the materials are prone to bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, we assessed 10 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis, known for causing nosocomial infections. Fiber diameter, pore size, and water contact angle, reflecting different degrees of hydrophobicity, were used to characterize all materials. Generally, we observed higher biofilm formation on the more hydrophobic DP as compared to the more hydrophilic DP-IGF-1 and a trend toward reduced biofilm formation for DP treated with silver nanoparticles. For the two HA/PEO implants, a similar biofilm formation was observed. All tested materials were highly prone to bacterial adherence and biofilm formation, pointing toward the need of further material development, including the optimized incorporation of antibacterial agents such as silver nanoparticles or antibiotics.

Encapsulation of lycopene into electrospun nanofibers from whey protein isolate-Tricholoma lobayense polysaccharide complex stabilized emulsions: Structural characterization, storage stability, in vitro release, and cellular evaluation.

In this study, lycopene-loaded nanofibers were successfully fabricated by electrospinning of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions stabilized by whey protein isolate-polysaccharide TLH-3 (WPI-TLH-3) complexes. The lycopene encapsulated in the emulsion-based nanofibers exhibited enhanced photostability and thermostability, and achieved improved targeted small intestine-specific release. The release of lycopene from the nanofibers followed Fickian diffusion mechanism in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and first-order model in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) with the enhanced release rates. The bioaccessibility and cellular uptake efficiency of lycopene in micelles by Caco-2 cells after in vitro digestion were significantly improved. The intestinal membrane permeability and transmembrane transport efficiency of lycopene in micelles across Caco-2 cells monolayer were greatly elevated, thus promoting the effective absorption and intracellular antioxidant activity of lycopene. This work opens a potential approach for electrospinning of emulsions stabilized by protein-polysaccharide complexes as a novel delivery system for liposoluble nutrients with enhanced bioavailability in functional food industries.

Stable encapsulation of camellia oil in core-shell zein nanofibers fabricated by emulsion electrospinning.

This study aimed to develop core-shell nanofibers by emulsion electrospinning using zein-stabilized emulsions to encapsulate camellia oil effectively. The increasing oil volume fraction (φ from 10% to 60%) increased the apparent viscosity and average droplet size of emulsions, resulting in the average diameter of electrospun fibers increasing from 124.5 nm to 286.2 nm. The oil droplets as the core were randomly distributed in fibers in the form of beads, and the core-shell structure of fibers was observed in TEM images. FTIR indicated that hydrogen bond interactions occurred between zein and camellia oil molecules. The increasing oil volume fraction enhanced the thermal stability, hydrophobicity, and water stability of electrospun nanofiber films. The core-shell nanofibers with 10%, 20%, 40%, and 60% camellia oil showed encapsulation efficiency of 78.53%, 80.25%, 84.52%, and 84.39%, respectively, and had good storage stability. These findings contribute to developing zein-based core-shell electrospun fibers to encapsulate bioactive substances.

Tri-Layer Core-Shell Fibers from Coaxial Electrospinning for a Modified Release of Metronidazole.

Polymers are the backbone of drug delivery. Electrospinning has greatly enriched the strategies that have been explored for developing novel drug delivery systems using polymers during the past two decades. In this study, four different kinds of polymers, i.e., the water-soluble polymer poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), the insoluble polymer poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), the insoluble polymer Eudragit RL100 (ERL100) and the pH-sensitive polymer Eudragit S100 (ES100) were successfully converted into types of tri-layer tri-polymer core-shell fibers through bi-fluid coaxial electrospinning. During the coaxial process, the model drug metronidazole (MTD) was loaded into the shell working fluid, which was an emulsion. The micro-formation mechanism of the tri-layer core-shell fibers from the coaxial emulsion electrospinning was proposed. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope evaluations verified the linear morphology of the resultant fibers and their obvious tri-layer multiple-chamber structures. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements demonstrated that the drug MTD presented in the fibers in an amorphous state and was compatible with the three polymeric matrices. In vitro dissolution tests verified that the three kinds of polymer could act in a synergistic manner for a prolonged sustained-release profile of MTD in the gut. The drug controlled-release mechanisms were suggested in detail. The protocols reported here pioneer a new route for creating a tri-layer core-shell structure from both aqueous and organic solvents, and a new strategy for developing advanced drug delivery systems with sophisticated drug controlled-release profiles.

Emulsion Electrospinning of PLLA/PVA/Chitosan with Hypericum perforatum L. as an Antibacterial Nanofibrous Wound Dressing.

Chronic wounds are one of the most severe health problems that affect millions of people worldwide. These types of injuries impair healing and lead to life-threatening complications. Therefore, suitable wound dressing materials are essential to prevent the risk of infection and to provide an excellent healing environment. The present research reports the development of an electrospun Poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/Chitosan (CS) wound dressing material, produced via emulsion electrospinning in a single step using homogeneous gel-like suspensions of two different and incompatible polymer solutions. The electrospun PLLA/PVA/CS fiber mats were loaded with two different amounts of Hypericum perforatum L. (HP) (2.5% and 5.0% owf). The results revealed that the produced electrospun PLLA/PVA/CS fiber mats displayed ideal properties as a wound dressing due to a total porosity, wettability, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and swelling properties similar to those reported for the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the skin, mainly when 2.5% owf HP was incorporated. Moreover, the electrospun PLLA/PVA/CS fiber mats containing HP were able to prevent the growth of gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) without causing cytotoxicity to normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF). These findings suggest that these electrospun dressing mats are helpful for preventing wound infections as well as an appropriate support and microenvironment for wound healing.

Electrospun Cactus Mucilage/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanofibers as a Novel Wall Material for Dill Seed Essential Oil (Anethum graveolens L.) Encapsulation: Release and Antibacterial Activities.

This study aimed to create long-lasting carriers by producing electrospun nanofibers loaded with dill seed (Anethum graveolens L.) essential oil (DSEO), using cactus mucilage (CM) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Continuous and uniform electrospun nanofibers with a diameter of 158 ± 18 to 230 ± 26 nm were successfully made from the CM/PVA blend solution and the CM/PVA/DSEO emulsion. Atomic force microscopy topographic images revealed that the electrospun nanofibers had a tubular morphology. The thermogravimetric curves of DSEO, CM, pure PVA, and electrospun nanofibers demonstrate that the polymers used and the essential oil have effective chemical interactions. The water contact angle results suggest that the manufactured nanofibers are hydrophilic. CM/PVA consistently achieves a remarkable encapsulation efficiency of 100% DSEO. The electrospun nanofibers enabled the controlled release of free and encapsulated DSEO, resulting in sustained long-term release. The agar disk diffusion technique was used to study the antimicrobial activity of electrospun nanofibers and nanofibers containing DSEO against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. With a minimum inhibitory concentration of 2.5 mg/mL and a minimum bactericidal concentration of 5 mg/mL, electrospun nanofibers containing DSEO demonstrated bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities against foodborne pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The DSEO-loaded electrospun nanofibers derived from carbohydrates show promise as an active interior coating for use in biomedical and food packaging applications.

Fabrication of alkali lignin-based emulsion electrospun nanofibers for the nanoencapsulation of beta-carotene and the enhanced antioxidant property.

For the greater utilization of ß-carotene in antioxidant material, ß-carotene-loaded emulsion stabilized by alkali lignin (AL) was successfully electrospinning with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (PVA/AL/ß-carotene nanofiber). Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the core-shell structure of nanofiber with the average diameter being 356.31 nm, and 85.7 % of ß-carotene was effectively encapsulated into the core section. Fourier transform infrared spectra and differential scanning calorimetry revealed the good compatibility and decreased crystallinity of ß-carotene, favoring its stability and solubility, respectively. As expected, the PVA/AL/ß-carotene nanofiber exhibited higher antioxidant activity than free ß-carotene due to the protection of AL matrix and the special structure of nanofiber, as the DPPH free radical scavenging rate being 90.7 % at 7th day. The sustained release behavior of ß-carotene and AL from fiber followed Fickian diffusion model, contributing to the greater protection for fish oil than that of emulsion. Thus, this study provides an approach to develop hydrophobic compounds-loaded emulsion electrospun antioxidant material with controlled release property and enhanced activity.

Texturing Hierarchical Tissues by Gradient Assembling of Microengineered Platelet-Lysates Activated Fibers.

The heterogeneity of hierarchical tissues requires designing multipart engineered constructs as suitable tissue replacements. Herein, the incorporation of platelet lysate (PL) within an electrospun fiber core is proposed aiming for the fabrication of functionally graded 3D scaffolds for heterotypic tissues regeneration, such as tendon-to-bone interfaces. First, anisotropic yarns (A-Yarns) and isotropic threads with nanohydroxyapatite (I-Threads/PL@nHAp) are fabricated to recreate the tendon- and bone-microstructures and both incorporated with PL using emulsion electrospinning for a sustained and local delivery of growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines. Biological performance using human adipose-derived stem cells demonstrates that A-Yarns/PL induce a higher expression of scleraxis, a tenogenic-marker, while in I-Threads/PL@nHAp, higher alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix mineralization suggest an osteogenic commitment without the need for biochemical supplementation compared to controls. As a proof-of-concept, functional 3D gradient scaffolds are fabricated using a weaving technique, resulting in 3D textured hierarchical constructs with gradients in composition and topography. Additionally, the precise delivery of bioactive cues together with in situ biophysical features guide the commitment into a phenotypic gradient exhibiting chondrogenic and osteochondrogenic profiles in the interface of scaffolds. Overall, a promising patch solution for the regeneration of tendon-to-bone tissue interface through the fabrication of PL-functional 3D gradient constructs is demonstrated.

Development of PVA-Psyllium Husk Meshes via Emulsion Electrospinning: Preparation, Characterization, and Antibacterial Activity.

In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and psyllium husk (PSH)/D-limonene electrospun meshes were produced by emulsion electrospinning for use as substrates to prevent the growth of bacteria. D-limonene and modified microcrystalline cellulose (mMCC) were preferred as antibacterial agents. SEM micrographs showed that PVA-PSH electrospun mesh with a 4% amount of D-limonene has the best average fiber distribution with 298.38 ± 62.8 nm. Moreover, the fiber morphology disrupts with the addition of 6% D-limonene. FT-IR spectroscopy was used to analyze the chemical structure between matrix-antibacterial agents (mMCC and D-limonene). Although there were some partial physical interactions in the FT-IR spectrum, no chemical reactions were seen between the matrixes and the antibacterial agents. The thermal properties of the meshes were determined using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermal stability of the samples increased with the addition of mMCC. Further, the PVA-PSH-mMCC mesh had the highest value of contact angle (81° ± 4.05). The antibacterial activity of functional meshes against Gram (-) (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram (+) bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) was specified based on a zone inhibition test. PPMD6 meshes had the highest antibacterial results with 21 mm, 16 mm, and 15 mm against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. While increasing the amount of D-limonene enhanced the antibacterial activity, it significantly decreased the amount of release in cases of excess D-limonene amount. Due to good fiber morphology, the highest D-limonene release value (83.1%) was observed in PPMD4 functional meshes. The developed functional meshes can be utilized as wound dressing material based on our data.

Chelidoniummajus L. Incorporated Emulsion Electrospun PCL/PVA_PEC Nanofibrous Meshes for Antibacterial Wound Dressing Applications.

Presently, there are many different types of wound dressings available on the market. Nonetheless, there is still a great interest to improve the performance and efficiency of these materials. Concerning that, new dressing materials containing natural products, such as medicinal plants that protect the wound from infections but also enhance skin regeneration have been or are being developed. Herein, we used for the first time a needleless emulsion electrospinning technique for incorporating Chelidoniummajus L. (C. majus), a medicinal plant widely known for its traditional therapeutic properties, in Polycaprolactone (PCL)/Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)_Pectin (PEC) nanofibrous meshes. Moreover, the potential use of these electrospun nanofibers as a carrier for C. majus was also explored. The results obtained revealed that the produced PCL/PVA_PEC nanofibrous meshes containing C. majus extract displayed morphological characteristics similar to the natural extracellular matrix of the skin (ECM). Furthermore, the produced meshes showed beneficial properties to support the healing process. Additionally, the C. majus-loaded PCL/PVA_PEC nanofibrous meshes inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) growth, reaching a 3.82 Log reduction, and showed to be useful for controlled release, without causing any cytotoxic effect on the normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) cells. Hence, these findings suggest the promising suitability of this novel wound dressing material for prevention and treatment of bacterial wound infections.