Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biopolymers synthesized by bacteria under unbalanced growth conditions. These biopolymers are considered as potential biomaterials for future applications because they are biocompatible, biodegradable, and easy to produce and functionalize with strong mechanical strength. Currently, PHAs are being extensively innovated for biomedical applications due to their prerequisite properties. The wide range of biomedical applications includes drug delivery systems, implants, tissue engineering, scaffolds, artificial organ constructs, In this article we review the utility of PHAs in various forms (bulk/nano) for biomedical applications so as to bring about the future vision for PHAs as biomaterials for the advancement of research and technology.

Shellac is being used in food, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries. It is seldom used for biomedical applications due to its poor mechanical property and instability. We designed thermoresponsive shellac-based bioactive nanofiber mats that mimic extracellular matrix to extend their utility in wound healing. Various blend compositions of shellac, gelatin, and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) enriched with a bioactive agent, nadifloxacin, were prepared and nanofiber mats were fabricated. The morphology of the nanofiber formation was influenced by the concentration of polymer, drug, and polymer blend composition. Polymer–drug interactions and thermal and crystalline properties of nanofiber mats were analyzed. The shellac/gelatin/poly(N−isopropylacrylamide) blend of composition 3%/7%/3% (w/v) was chosen to evaluate in vitro drug release. Release studies recorded slow, constant, and sustained release for 140 h. The release kinetics and mechanism confirmed zero-order release with resultant r2 values greater than 0.99, and the Korsmeyer–Peppas release exponent (n) was slightly higher than 0.8, which indicated that drug diffusion was anomalous or non-Fickian type and drug release followed diffusion involving chain stretching. Indirect cytotoxicity studies recorded insignificant toxicity against normal human fibroblast cells. In vivo studies demonstrated that drug-loaded nanofiber mats were more suitable for faster tissue regeneration as compared to nanofiber mats without drug and commercial nadifloxacin cream.

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Correction for ‘Polyhydroxyalkanoates as biomaterials’ by Bhagyashri S. Thorat Gadgil et al., Med. Chem. Commun., 2017, 8, 1774–1787.