Biodegradable polycaprolactone/flexible nano-liposome/propolis nanofibers for enhanced biocompatibility and...

This study employs electrospinning technology to develop biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers integrated with flexible nano-liposomes and propolis (PCL/F-Lip/Pro). The investigation encompassed the assessment of porosity, contact angle, equilibrium water content, cell viability, and antimicrobial activity of the PCL/F-Lip/Pro nanofibers, considering various PCL and propolis concentrations, flow rates, and applied voltage parameters. Regarding biocompatibility, cytotoxicity assays indicated that PCL/F-Lip/Pro scaffolds with 1 wt% propolis exhibited the highest cell viability (96.0%), significantly surpassing that of PCL alone. However, higher propolis concentrations resulted in a slight reduction in cell viability, likely due to the inhibitory effects of caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid derivatives present in propolis. As the propolis concentration increased from 0 wt% to 10 wt%, the equilibrium water content (EWC) of the PCL/F-Lip/Pro scaffolds significantly increased from 133 ± 32.2% to 1567 ± 60.11%, surpassing the YY0148-2006 medical dressing standard of 150%. This enhancement in water absorption capacity is attributed to the hydroxyl groups in the phenolic compounds. The zone of inhibition for PCL/F-Lip/Pro scaffolds against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli increased from 0 mm to 66.4 ± 1.6 mm and from 0 mm to 54.8 ± 1.4 mm, respectively, as the propolis concentration rose from 0 wt% to 10 wt%. These results highlight propolis's significant antibacterial effect, attributed to its aromatic acids, phenolics, and flavonoids in propolis, which disrupt cell membranes and bacterial cytoplasm. In conclusion, the PCL/F-Lip/Pro scaffold developed in this study offers a balanced combination of porosity, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and antibacterial activity, rendering it a promising candidate for advanced wound care applications.