Emulsion electrospun fiber mats of PCL/PVA/Chitosan with antibacterial properties as potential wound dressing material

Abstract

Last decades a wide range of modern wound dressings have been developed.1 Modern wound dressings goes beyond the traditional function of covering and absorb wound exudate providing a moist environment to facilitate a quick wound healing process and a protective barrier against the entry of pathogenic bacteria [1]. Damaged skin is particularly sensitive to microbial invasion and infections by pathogenic microorganisms as for example Staphylococcus aureus including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), being the major cause of the inability of wounds to heal properly [2]. In fact, the emergence of strains resistant to antibiotics together with the risk of toxicity associated with systemic therapy used for wound treatment, conveyed interest in developing new biocide methods for the prevention of wound infections. One of the most promising strategies is based on the development of wound dressings containing antimicrobial agents which are released locally to suppress bacterial growth in a controlled manner. However, the cost associated with this type of dressings represents a challenge for this market and the risk of bacteria resistance persists [1-3]. To overcome these limitations, the purpose of this study is to develop an new electrospun wound dressing. The electrospinning is a simple and low-cost method which allows to produce nanofiber mats with promising characteristics for application in the wound treatment [4,5]. Furthermore, it is associated with different strategies and allows the incorporation of medicinal plant extracts and its derivatives, such as essential oils, widely known for their traditional therapeutic properties [4,5]. Although the medicinal plant extracts are interesting natural agents, its stability can be affected by chemical and enzymatic degradation, losses by volatilization or thermal decomposition [6]. Thus, its incorporation by electrospinning emulsion seems a viable strategy to maintain structural integrity and the bioactivity of these compounds to be used in the prevention and treatment of wound infections. In this context, ternary blend of PCL/PVA/Chitosan was used to prepare electrospun wound dressings and proved to be a promising material for wound dressing applications.