Fabrication and characterization of mucoadhesive bioplastic patch via coaxial polylactic acid (PLA) based electrospun nanofibers with antimicrobial and wound healing application

Mehdi Hajikhani^a, Zahra Emam-Djomeh^a,b, Gholamreza Askari^a

Transfer Phenomena Laboratory (TPL), Controlled Release Center, Department of Food Science, Technology and Engineering Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj Campus, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA) is the second-highest consumed bioplastic in the world. PVP/PLA-PEO complex nanofibers encapsulating collagen and cefazolin dressing scaffold were fabricated using a coaxial electrospinning method to target the release of the encapsulated compounds. It was observed that in collagen doses of 10 and 20%, the speed of healing showed a significant difference with the control sample, but the dose of 40% caused a decrease in wound healing rate in mice. The nanofibers' morphology and surface roughness were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The mechanical properties and adhesion strength of the scaffolds were investigated. The scaffolds' antimicrobial activity was evaluated by disk diffusion method against the E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. The results indicated a positive effect on the antimicrobial activity of the samples. In this study, we were able to prolong the effect of scaffolds by changing the pattern of release of cefazolin from inside the nanofibers. Possible interactions between the polymers and the encapsulated compounds were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Finally, in-vivo and histological tests were performed to evaluate the efficacy of the scaffolds in accelerating wound healing.

Keywords: Core-shell scaffold, Collagen, Cefazolin, Wound healing, In vivo test.