Wound healing capability of the double-layer Polycaprolactone/Polyvinyl alcohol-Chitosan lactate electrospun nanofiber incorporating Echinacea purpurea extract

Background: This study designed a new nanostructured wound dressing based on natural bioactive agents.Methods: PCL was electrospinned to fabricate a nanofibrous scaffold acting as the supporting substrate. The functional layer was produced by electrospinning of the PVA/Chitosan lactate (CL)/Echinacea purpurea extracts (EP) blended solution. The physicochemical properties and bioactivity of the generated nanofibers were investigated. Wound healing properties were investigated in vivo, and the antibacterial potential of mikats on wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was evaluated. FESEM assays approved the nano-sized structure of the generated electrospun nanofibers, and the FTIR spectrum confirmed the functional constituents of CL and EP extract on PCL/PVA-based nanofibers.Results: Incorporating CL into PCL/PVA nanofiber significantly improved the biological properties of the dressing. Besides successful 100% bacterial growth suppression of MRSA in colony count assay, PCL/PVA/CL/EP showed up to 88.28% antioxidant potential with no cytotoxic effects on the livability of Human Dermal Fibroblast cells. The considerable synergistic effects of CL and EP extract led to a 98.1% closure percentage of wounds dressed with CL/PVA/CL/EP on the 15th day of treatment.Conclusions: These results advocated employing PCL/PVA/CL/EP as an unprecedented wound dressing promising wound healing advancement.