Nanofibrous ε-Polycaprolactone Matrices Containing Nano-Hydroxyapatite and Humulus lupulus L. Extract:...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Oral Biology

Background:

• Oral bone defects necessitate advanced regenerative strategies beyond current graft limitations.
• Existing bone grafts lack essential antimicrobial properties against oral pathogens.
• Polymeric and ceramic biomaterials offer potential for bone regeneration and drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and evaluate novel electrospun matrices incorporating hops extract for oral bone regeneration.
• To assess the antimicrobial efficacy and cytocompatibility of these composite biomaterials.
• To investigate the potential of these matrices for drug delivery in oral applications.

Main Methods:

• Electrospinning of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp), and Humulus lupulus L. (hops) extract.
• Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile testing, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and FTIR.
• In vitro evaluation of hydrolytic degradation, antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens, and cytocompatibility via MTT assay.

Main Results:

• SEM confirmed nanostructured matrices with a 3D interconnected network.
• Matrices demonstrated antimicrobial properties against Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.
• Successful incorporation of hops extract into PCL fibers, indicating potential for drug delivery.

Conclusions:

• The developed PCL/nHAp/hops matrices show significant potential for oral bone regeneration.
• These biomaterials possess inherent antimicrobial activity, addressing a key limitation of current grafts.
• The study highlights the synergistic potential of natural compounds with ceramic and polymeric biomaterials for advanced oral applications.