Electrospun PCL/PVA/PHMB nanofibers incorporating Ziziphus jujuba fruit extract as promising wound dressings with potent antibacterial and antidiabetic properties

Abstract

This investigation examined the potential antibacterial and antidiabetic effects of wound dressings created using electrospun nanofibers containing Ziziphus jujuba fruit extract (ZJ). These nanofibers were composed of a combination of Polycaprolactone (PCL), Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), and Polyhexamethylene Biguanide (PHMB). The process of creating these nanofibers involved electrospinning. The nanofiber products, which included PCL, PCL/PVA, PCL/PVA/ZJ, PCL/PVA/PHMB, and PCL/PVA/PHMB/ZJ, underwent a morphology, physicochemical, and biological assessment. Incorporating PHMB into the nanofibers enhanced the antibacterial properties, effectively preventing bacterial infections in wounds. Furthermore, including ZJ fruit extract in the nanofibers provided antidiabetic properties, making these dressings suitable for diabetic patients. The PCL/PVA/PHMB/ZJ combination exhibited exceptional healing capabilities and superior antibacterial efficiency in MRSA-infected wounds. The histological assay confirmed complete wound healing by day 14, accompanied by reduced inflammation. Based on these findings, using PCL/PVA/PHMB/ZJ as innovative wound dressings is recommended, as they can expedite wound healing while offering significant antidiabetic and antibacterial features. Ultimately, these electrospun nanofibers possess the potential to serve as advanced wound dressings with enhanced antibacterial and anti-diabetes properties.

Keywords:

• Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly(ε-caprolactone), Ziziphus jujuba fruit extract
• polyhexamethylene biguanide
• electrospinning
• antidiabetic wound dressing

Acknowledgment

We thank the University of Medical Sciences in Arak for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Arak University of Medical Sciences supported this study.