Antibacterial and biological properties of coconut oil loaded poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin electrospun membranes

Abstract

Coconut oil (CO) is a naturally derived bio-oil which exhibits specific characteristics such as biocompatibility and antibacterial activity. In this work, the biological properties of poly(caprolactone)/gelatin (PCL/Gel) nanofibers are improved using CO encapsulation. This bio-oil was added to the PCL/Gel polymer solution with different concentrations (5–40%). Nanofibers were crosslinked using glutaraldehyde vapor. Different types of characterization techniques such as SEM, FTIR, DSC, tensile measurements, water contact angle, and water vapor permeability were used to study the chemical, physical, thermal, and morphological properties of resultant nanofibers. Results showed an average diameter of 300–370 nm for as-spun nanofibers, which increased to 360–470 nm after the crosslinking reaction. The presence of CO was confirmed using FTIR and DSC experiments. Moreover, results indicated that the presence of CO increases the hydrophilicity and water vapor permeability of nanofibers, which are desirable for their final application. Biological tests, such as antibacterial activity, cell viability, and cell morphology tests were performed to evaluate the possible application of the produced nanofibers for wound healing applications. Results indicated that the crosslinked PCL/Gel nanofibers containing 20% CO exhibited the highest cell compatibility and antibacterial activity against gram-positive (S. aureus) and gram-negative ( E. coli) bacteria.

Fabrication of Biocompatible Electrospun Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Gelatin Nanofibers Loaded with Pinus radiata Bark Extracts for Wound Healing Applications

“…On the other hand, Sardou et al [37] ascribed this reduction to the plasticizing effect of these materials. In contrast, Mohamadi et al [21] stated that after loading natural compounds into nanofibers, semi-interpenetrated systems are formed, leading to a decrease in the mechanical properties of the polymeric systems. In all these cases, there is a reduction in the cross-sectional area per unit area of the fibers, resulting in the formation of nanofiber networks capable of resisting external tensile forces due to their random distribution.…”

Development of PVA–Psyllium Husk Meshes via Emulsion Electrospinning: Preparation, Characterization, and Antibacterial Activity

“…Wettability can be the initial evidence for forecasting the biocompatibility of non-biological materials, since the generation of a protein layer in the first interaction with biological systems is the first stage and first indication of the material’s potential compatibility [ 56 ]. Materials with contact angles of 0–30°, 30–90°, and higher than 90° are defined as hydrophilic, semi-hydrophilic, and hydrophobic, respectively [ 57 , 58 ].…”

Thermal Properties of Novel Phase-Change Materials Based on Tamanu and Coconut Oil Encapsulated in Electrospun Fiber Matrices

“…The average fiber diameters were 3 ± 1 µm for the cylindrical region of the fiber, and 8 ± 4 µm for the biconical region of the fiber [26]. In another study, coconut oil was successfully encapsulated in PCL gel nanofibers with an efficiency of 60% [46] and 300 to 370 nm mean diameter. Moreover, the melting and crystallization points of the coconut-oil-loaded sample were 25 and 3 • C [46].…”

“…Equations (1) and ( 2) were used for the calculation of the encapsulation ratio and efficiency presented in Table 7. Several researchers [26,46,47] attempted the encapsulation of coconut oil in microfibers. In the existing literature [26], biomass microfibers with coconut oil encapsulated in core resulted in melting and solidification temperatures, and enthalpies for the core material of T m = 22 • C, T c1 = 14 • C, T c2 = 8 • C, and ∆H m = 134.9 J/g, ∆H c = 64.7 J/g.…”

“…In another study, coconut oil was successfully encapsulated in PCL gel nanofibers with an efficiency of 60% [46] and 300 to 370 nm mean diameter. Moreover, the melting and crystallization points of the coconut-oil-loaded sample were 25 and 3 • C [46]. Saravana Kumar Jaganathan et al [47] examined electrospun polyurethane/virgin coconut oil composites, and the fiber's diameter was in the range of 886 ± 207 nm.…”