Encouraging collagen and epithelial layer formation via poly (lactic acid)/hyaluronic acid hybrid wound dressing...

This study examines the fabrication and characterization of electrospun nanofibrous mats composed of poly (lactic acid) (PLA), hybridized hyaluronic acid (HA), and niacinamide (NA) for potential applications in wound dressings. PLA and HA concentrations were changed from 4 to 12 wt% and 0.25 to 1 wt%, respectively. The morphological analysis revealed that mats with 8 wt% PLA produced smooth, bead-free fibers with an average diameter of 632 nm. Meanwhile, all concentrations of HA nanofibers had beads, except for the 1 wt%, whose average fiber diameter was 234 nm. Mechanical testing indicated that PLA-HA mats achieved a tensile strength of 4.93 MPa and elongation at a break of 88 ± 4 %. In comparison, PLA-HA-NA mats exhibited a tensile strength of 4.1 MPa but improved elongation at a break of 91 ± 4.5 %. Hydrophilicity assessments indicated that the contact angle for PLA-HA-NA was 25°, demonstrating superior fluid absorption compared to pure PLA, which had a contact angle of 109°. Drug release studies revealed that after 720 min, approximately 72.3 ± 3.6 % of NA was released from the electrospun mat, following a Korsmeyer-Peppas model with a transport exponent (n) of 0.29, indicating controlled release. In-vitro cytotoxicity tests showed cell viability rates of 94 % for PLA-HA-NA after 72 h. In-vivo studies on rats demonstrated that by day 14, wounds treated with PLA-HA-NA achieved a closure rate of 96 ± 4.6 %, compared to 93 ± 4.3 % for PLA-HA and 82 ± 3.8 % for the control group. These results highlight the potential of PLA-HA-NA nanofibers as effective wound dressings with desirable mechanical properties and biocompatibility.