Electrospun bioactive polymer/gelatin coatings for medical application - creation and investigation

Abstract

Skin protects human body from negative external influences; however, it has property to be injured. There are a lot of different types of medical dressings, nevertheless, electrospun materials for medical applications are on demand due to nonwoven materials properties, such as large surface area, specific porosity, polymers suitability. Natural polymers for wound dressings are highly investigated not only for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, but for electrospinning feasibility as well. The aim of this research is to develop bioactive polymer/gelatin coating from animal waste and investigate its feasibility for medical dressing. Polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as polymers were chosen due to their adhesive properties, solubility in various solvents and biocompatibility. Gelatin as bioactive polymer was chosen due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Natural Symphytum officinale (SO) extract in compositions was used. Electrospun polymeric nano/microfibers were coated with gelatin compositions. Nano/microfibers diameters and gelatin compositions droplets sizes were evaluated. It was determined that composition modification with SO has influence on used polymers nano/microfibers diameter. Plant extract addition to polymer solution induces thinner nano/microfibers. Consequently, it was ascertained that gelatin and SO composition forms high quality droplets both on PVB/SO and PVP/SO nanofibers surface.