Physico-Chemical, Mechanical, and Biological Properties of Polylactide/<i>Portulaca oleracea</i> Extract Electrospun Fibers
Nikoleta Stoyanova,
Mariya Spasova,
Nevena Manolova,
Iliya Rashkov,
Sabina Taneva,
Svetlana Momchilova,
Ani Georgieva
Affiliations
Nikoleta Stoyanova
Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 103, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Mariya Spasova
Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 103, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Nevena Manolova
Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 103, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Iliya Rashkov
Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 103, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Sabina Taneva
Department of Lipid Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 9, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Svetlana Momchilova
Department of Lipid Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 9, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Ani Georgieva
Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 25, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Electrospinning was used to create fibrous polylactide (PLA) materials loaded with Portulaca oleracea (P. oleracea) plant extract obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide. Morphological, physico-chemical, mechanical, and biological characteristics of the fibers were studied. According to the SEM results, the diameters of smooth and defect-free fibers fabricated by a one-pot electrospinning method were at micron scale. All the obtained materials possess good mechanical properties. Additionally, it was found that the composite fibers exhibited considerable antioxidant activity. The antimicrobial activity of the fibrous materials against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was determined as well. In vitro studies showed that the electrospun biomaterials had no cytotoxic effects and that the combination of PLA and the P. oleracea extract in the fiber structure promoted cell survival and proliferation of normal mouse fibroblasts. The obtained results reveal that microfibrous mats containing the polyester—PLA and the plant extract—P. oleracea can be suitable for applications in wound healing.
