Fabrication and characterization of an antioxidant and antibacterial fibrous wound dressing based on PVA/PCL incorporated with catechin hydrate and graphene oxide for chronic wound healing.
Jul 2026· Journal of Biomaterials Science. Polymer Edition· pp.
1-25
· 0 citations· 63 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The synergistic bioactive effects of CH and GO, along with the ECM-mimicking nanofibrous architecture of the electrospun dressing, demonstrate its potential as a promising candidate for the treatment of chronic wounds.
Abstract
Chronic wounds pose a considerable clinical, economic, and psychological burden on patients and healthcare systems. This study aimed to design and fabricate a bioactive electrospun wound dressing for chronic wound healing based on electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), incorporating graphene oxide (GO) and (+) - catechin hydrate (CH) as antibacterial and antioxidant bioactive agents. Various concentrations of GO and CH were incorporated into electrospun solutions of PVA and PCL, respectively, using two independent electrospinning units. The optimal electrospinning parameters were determined through microstructure evaluation using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Multilayered fibrous dressings were subsequently fabricated to investigate the effects of layer configuration. In addition to physical and mechanical evaluations, the cytotoxic effect of GO and CH on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Moreover, antioxidant features were determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was studied using disk diffusion and colony-forming unit (CFU) methods. It was found that a PVA/PCL core containing 1% w/v CH, and 0.15% (w/v) GO demonstrated the appropriate outcomes. This dressing exhibited 90.9% antioxidant activity and showed moderate antibacterial activity against p. aeruginosa and pronounced inhibition against s. aureus. Additionally, the viability of HDF cells exceeded 80%. The synergistic bioactive effects of CH and GO, along with the ECM-mimicking nanofibrous architecture of the electrospun dressing, demonstrate its potential as a promising candidate for the treatment of chronic wounds.
The findings suggest that nanofiber wound dressings formulated with nanoscale materials represent a promising and effective alternative to conventional wound dressings, particularly for the therapeutic management of injuries associated with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear(CBRN) incidents.
N. Tufan, Halis Uğuz, S. Karakurt· Polymer Bulletin· 0 citations
A novel multifunctional wound dressing by integrating Petroselinum crispum (parsley, PS) extract and zinc ascorbate-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibrous matrix that combines biodegradability, biocompatibility, and enhanced bioactivity for wound healing is reported.
Shimaa Husien, Rana R. Haikal, Eman A. Khalil et al.· Journal of Biological Engine...· 0 citations
Through rational core-shell design, this study integrates antioxidant and immunomodulatory functions within a single coaxially electrospun scaffold, offering a clinically translatable strategy for chronic diabetic wound repair and the comprehensive structural and functional reconstruction of skin tissue.
Kexin Feng, Xiaoyu Wang, Zichao Cai et al.· Journal of materials chemist...· 0 citations
Bilayer wound dressings can integrate an outer protective barrier with a bioactive wound-contact layer, offering functional stratification that more closely reflects selected epidermal and dermal roles than single-layer dressings. In this study, a bilayer wound dressing was fabricated by combining a propolis-coated 3D-printed (3DP) polycaprolactone (PCL) top layer with a deferoxamine-loaded electrospun PCL/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) base layer (NF.DFO). The ethanolic propolis (Pr) extract used for dip coating was chemically standardized and showed a total phenolic content of 477 ± 2.53 mg GAE/g extract and a total flavonoid content of 134 ± 5.43 mg QE/g extract. The 3DP layer exhibited a strut diameter of 445.33 ± 16.5 µm, a pore size of 737.53 ± 77.05 µm, and a water contact angle of 98.75°, indicating a hydrophobic barrier surface. The bilayer scaffold showed moderate water uptake, reduced water vapor permeability, a tensile strength of 15.69 ± 2.27 MPa, and an interlayer peel strength of 19.4 ± 2.6 mN/mm, supporting its handling stability and interfacial integrity. DFO release reached 84.5% over seven days under in vitro conditions. In vitro, in ovo, and in vivo evaluations showed cytocompatibility, cell adhesion, antibacterial activity associated with propolis, enhanced early angiogenic-marker response, reduced IL-6 and TNF-α immunopositive densities, improved collagen organization, and faster macroscopic wound closure in the BL group compared with the other tested groups. Overall, the BL scaffold represents a promising preclinical 3D-printed/electrospun wound-dressing platform containing 1 wt% DFO for dry to low-to-moderately exuding wounds; however, further studies are required to confirm vascular maturation, cytokine regulation, and clinical relevance.
Parinaz Hosseini, M. Mehdikhani, S. A. Poursamar et al.· International journal of pha...· 0 citations
This research provides evidence for the potential use of cerium oxide-doped 58 S bioactive glass nanoparticles in wound dressings, highlighting their non-cytotoxicity, blood compatibility, suitable mechanical properties for skin tissue engineering, antibacterial activity, and therapeutic benefits.
Ahmad Vaez, Sepehr Zamani, Saeed Haghi Daredeh et al.· Polymer Bulletin· 0 citations
Bacterial wound infections are among the most frequent infections acquired in healthcare settings. The widespread use and overuse of antibiotics have contributed to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Thus, it becomes essential to find alternative therapeutic strategies that can both accelerate wound healing and provide potent bactericidal effects. Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds of polycaprolactone (PCL)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and vancomycin (Van) (Van-Ag-PAN/PCL), chitosan (Cs)/gelatin (Gel)/polyethylene oxide (PEO) containing bioactive glass nanoparticles (BG) and ciprofloxacin (Cip) (Cip-BG-Cs/Gel/PEO) besides a bilayer nanofiber scaffold were fabricated and charachterized. Surface properties, antioxidant activity, and biocompatibility were evaluated using contact angle measurements, antioxidant assays, and hemolysis tests, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the fabricated nanofibers was assessed by MTT assay on the L929 fibroblast cell line. The antimicrobial effectiveness of the fabricated nanofibers against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated in vitro using disk diffusion methods, along with evaluations of biofilm formation inhibition and eradication capabilities. The results demonstrated that the electrospun Cip-BG-Cs/Gel/PEO scaffold and bilayer scaffold significantly inhibited one-day biofilm formation of both bacterial strains compared to the control group. Regarding one-day biofilm removal, the Van-Ag-PAN/PCL, Cip-BG-Cs/Gel/PEO and bilayer scaffolds exhibited high efficiency, achieving 66.3%, 68% and 69.3% eradication in MRSA and 34%, 69%, and 70% eradication in P. aeruginosa, respectively. The scaffolds were biocompatible and showed no cytotoxicity on L929 fibroblast cells. Their high antioxidant activity and lack of hemolysis confirm the strong potential of these materials for biotechnological applications. The study concludes that the fabricated nanofibers effectively inhibit bacterial biofilm formation by MRSA and P. aeruginosa. Their strong antibacterial properties suggest potential use in reducing hospital-acquired infections and in applications such as drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and wound dressings, due to their controlled and sustained release of bioactive compounds for improved therapeutic outcomes.
Raha Zare Shahraki, L. Shokoohizadeh, Mohammad Hossein Armand et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
