Hyaluronic Acid/Polyvinyl Alcohol Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes Loaded with Plantago Major Extract for Smart Wound Dressings

Electrospinning has stood out as a promising technique for producing innovative dressings. In this regard, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of crosslinking with maleic anhydride (MA) at 0, 15, and 30 wt % on the morphological, physicochemical, and thermal properties and storage stability of electrospun hyaluronic acid /polyvinyl alcohol membranes loaded with Plantago major extract. The crosslinking enhanced the manufacturing process of the membranes. It reduced the average diameter of crosslinked nanofibers with 30 wt % MA by about 20 nm and increased the maximum decomposition temperature by 12 & DEG;C compared to control samples. Furthermore, crosslinking prevented the phase separation of the blend, making the crosslinked membranes more homogeneous. The storage stability results indicated that lower relative humidities favored the maintenance of the physical structure of the membranes, and the sorption isotherms obtained by the experimental data were better fitted by the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer model. This investigation suggested a promising approach to designing new wound healing dressings.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the effect of crosslinking with maleic anhydride on the properties of electrospun hyaluronic acid/polyvinyl alcohol membranes loaded with Plantago major extract. The crosslinking improved the manufacturing process, reduced fiber diameter, increased decomposition temperature, and improved membrane homogeneity. The results indicated that lower humidity favored membrane stability.