Green-Synthesized Mesoporous Silica-Enhanced Herbal Nanofibers with Antimicrobial, Anti-Inflammatory, and...

Advanced wound dressings should actively promote tissue repair while preventing microbial infection and excessive inflammation. In this study, multifunctional electrospun nanofibers composed of poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/gelatin were developed by incorporating green-synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), Acacia gum, and Hypericum perforatum extract (HPE). Biological activity and safety were evaluated using disk-diffusion antimicrobial testing, MTT cell viability assays, nitric oxide measurement in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, an L929 fibroblast scratch assay, and Ames and comet assays. The optimized nanofibers exhibited a uniform morphology with an average fiber diameter of approximately 400 nm and high encapsulation efficiencies (86-96%). MSN incorporation significantly prolonged hypericin release, producing a biphasic release profile with approximately 1.4-fold slower release than nanofibers without MSNs, while increasing Young's modulus from 2.1 to 2.5 MPa. The hybrid nanofibers demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and Candida albicans, achieving approximately 70% of the efficacy of standard antimicrobial agents. In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, the optimized formulation reduced nitric oxide production by approximately 51%, comparable to indomethacin and L-NAME. Although fibroblast migration was not significantly enhanced, the nanofibers exhibited acceptable cytocompatibility and showed no mutagenic or genotoxic effects in Ames and comet assays. These findings demonstrate that green-synthesized MSN-enhanced herbal nanofibers represent a safe and promising platform for sustained drug delivery and advanced wound-healing applications.