Aloe vera mucilage loaded gelatin electrospun fibers contained in polylactic acid coaxial system and polylactic acid and poly(e-caprolactone) tri-layer membranes for tissue engineering.

BACKGROUND: Polymeric electrospun mats have been used as scaffolds in tissue engineering for the development of novel materials due to its characteristics. The usage of synthetic materials has gone in decline due to environmental problems associated with their synthesis and waste disposal. Biomaterials such as biopolymers have been used recently due to good compatibility on biological applications and sustainability. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work is to obtain novel materials based on synthetic and natural polymers for applications on tissue engineering. METHODS: Aloe vera mucilage was obtained, chemically characterized, and used as an active compound contained in electrospun mats. Polymeric scaffolds were obtained in single, coaxial and tri-layer structures, characterized and evaluated in cell culture. RESULTS: Mucilage loaded electrospun fibers showed good compatibility due to formation of hydrogen bonds between polymers and biomolecules from its structure, evidenced by FTIR spectra and thermal properties. Cell viability test showed that most of the obtained mats result on viability higher than 75%, resulting in nontoxic materials, ready to be used on scaffolding applications. CONCLUSION: Mucilage containing fibers resulted on materials with potential use on scaffolding applications due to their mechanical performance and cell viability results.

Study of Electrospun Membranes Composed of PCL and Tilapia-Skin Collagen with Tetracycline or Chloramphenicol in Contact with Human Skin Fibroblasts for Wound Dressing Treatment.

Diabetic foot ulcers are a common complication of diabetes mellitus and can lead to severe infections and delayed wound healing. The development of effective wound dressings is crucial to promoting faster healing and preventing infections. This investigation aims to fabricate and characterize electrospun meshes composed of poly(ε-caprolactone) and collagen, extracted from tilapia skin. Additionally, tetracycline and chloramphenicol were incorporated into the dressings to explore their potential to combat wound infections. A comprehensive characterization was carried out, covering the physical structure, chemical composition, and potential application-related properties of the materials by the combination of scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), mechanical analysis, cell viability, live/dead staining, and microbiological analysis. Changes in mechanical properties were observed, related to the morphology of the membranes; the presence of the active molecules is evidenced by FTIR analysis; cell viability above control was observed for all the prepared membranes, and they were active in antimicrobial tests, suggesting that the developed materials have the potential to be further explored as wound dressings or scaffolds for diabetic foot ulcers.