Ciprofloxacin-loaded alginate/poly (vinyl alcohol)/gelatin electrospun nanofiber mats as antibacterial wound dressings

Herein, ciprofloxacin (CIP)-loaded alginate/poly (vinyl alcohol)/gelatin (SPG) (CIP-SPG) nanofiber mats were successfully fabricated by electrospinning. The average fiber diameters of the mats before and after crosslinking were in the range of 190-260 and 385-484 nm, respectively. The chemical integrity of CIP remained intact after encapsulation into the mats. The degree of weight loss and water swelling decreased with an increase in the gelatin content of the electrospun nanofiber mats. A release study was carried out by total immersion and diffusion methods using phosphate buffer as a release medium. Burst release of CIP was observed in case of the total immersion method, while a more sustained release was observed in case of the diffusion method. The maximum amounts of CIP released during total immersion and diffusion were in the range of 70-90% and 72-85%, respectively. For both the total immersion and diffusion methods, the released amounts of CIP decreased and the release slowed down with an increase in the gelatin content; this result is consistent with the weight loss and water swelling values. The Young's modulus increased, while the tensile strength and strain at break decreased with an increase in the gelatin content. The CIP-SPG nanofiber mats were slightly toxic to L929 mouse fibroblasts as evaluated by indirect cytotoxicity assay. The electrospun CIP-SPG nanofiber mats exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These results reveal that the electrospun CIP-SPG nanofiber mats are potentially promising materials for wound healing applications.

Automated summary

The electrospun CIP-loaded alginate/poly (vinyl alcohol)/gelatin (SPG) nanofiber mats exhibited excellent release properties and antimicrobial activity, making them potentially promising materials for wound healing applications.