Electrospun Nanofibers with Pomegranate Peel Extract as a New Concept for Treating Oral Infections

Abstract

Pomegranate peel extract is known for its potent antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and probiotic properties, leading to its use in treating oral infections. In the first stage of this work, for the first time, using the Design of Experiment (DoE) approach, pomegranate peel extract (70% methanol, temperature 70 °C, and three cycles per 90 min) was optimized and obtained, which showed optimal antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The optimized extract showed antibacterial activity against oral pathogenic bacteria. The second part of this study focused on optimizing an electrospinning process for a combination of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers loaded with the optimized pomegranate peel extract. The characterization of the nanofibers was confirmed by using SEM pictures, XRPD diffractograms, and IR-ATR spectra. The composition of the nanofibers can control the release; in the case of PVP–based nanofibers, immediate release was achieved within 30 min, while in the case of PCL/PVP, controlled release was completed within 24 h. Analysis of the effect of different scaffold compositions of the obtained electrofibers showed that those based on PCL/PVP had better wound healing potential. The proposed strategy to produce electrospun nanofibers with pomegranate peel extract is the first and innovative approach to better use the synergy of biological action of active compounds present in extracts in a patient-friendly pharmaceutical form, beneficial for treating oral infections.

Novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae-Loaded Polyvinylpyrrolidone/SiO2 Nanofiber for Wound Dressing Prepared Using Electrospinning Method

“…The electrospinning process was performed at a nozzle–collector distance of 17.5 cm, injection rate of 0.3 mL/h, and high voltage of 18 kV [ 26 , 27 ]. The fabricated nanofibrous dressings were collected using aluminum foil sheets at room temperature (22–24 °C) and 60% relative humidity [ 9 ]. All electrospun dressings were vacuum-dried at room temperature for 24 h. The moisture content of the prepared nanofibers was analyzed using an OHAUS MB27 moisture analyzer (Parsippany, NJ, USA).…”

“…Electrospinning technology enables the loading of active substances for heat-sensitive wound healing and is a technology that can manufacture wound dressings more cost-effectively than traditional methods [ 8 ]. This technique consists of a syringe pump and a collector containing a dressing solution connected to a high-voltage supply, enabling the fabrication of nanofibrous structures [ 9 ]. Wound dressings manufactured by electrospinning are composed of microporous nanofibers whose diameters can be adjusted from nano to micro sizes.…”