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Electrospun Bilayer Membranes Carrying Bearberry/Licorice Extract to Ameliorate Wound Healing

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Abstract

Trauma, burns, and chronic illnesses cause non-healing wounds or defective healing, leading to scar formation due to excessive fibrosis, disordered collagen, and hyperpigmentation. The conventional single layered gauze dressings and composite dressings have limited advantages. Therefore, the advanced green alternative dressings need to be explored for non-toxic antibacterial and fast wound healing process. The present study focuses on the development of highly compatible PLA-PHBV bilayer electrospun (ES) membrane dressings. The membranes were surface-functionalized/coated with chitosan polymer and pure plant extracts (bearberry leaf extract) (BE) and (licorice root extract) (LE). The presence of flavonoids and terpenoids in the extracts was confirmed using FTIR and GC–MS analyses. The coated ES bilayer membranes were characterized using SEM, contact angle measurements, drug release profile, antibacterial analysis, biocompatibility, and wound healing assays. The results suggest that coated ES membranes are hydrophilic and can carry and release the extracts in a dose-dependent manner. These characteristics increased the regenerative potential of ES membranes as shown by in vitro cell cultures and significantly activated wound healing studied by in vitro fibroblast cultures compared to the non-coated control ES bilayer membranes. Moreover, the modified membranes had antibacterial potential as studied utilizing S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. These bilayer ES membranes carrying plant extracts can be used to heal and regenerate lost tissues in various applications, and may also be effective against hyperpigmentation during healing. Further molecular analyses and in vivo tests may prove their effectiveness against scars and hyperpigmentation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan through grant funded to Dr Faiza Sharif under NRPU-HEC project number 7787 to conduct this research. We would like to thank Dr Mazhar Amjad Gilani HOD Chemistry (CUI, Lahore) for his support and Mr Muhammad Farooq LCWU for his support in SEM analysis.

Funding

Higher Education Commission of Pakistan through grant no NRPU-HEC/7787 funded for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Ayman Zehra & Faiza Sharif

  2. Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Ayman Zehra

  3. Department of Chemistry, Lahore College for Women University, Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Natasha Bokhari

  4. Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (IIBT), Government College University, Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Sadaf Nosheen

  5. Department of Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery and Burn Unit, King Edward Medical University, Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Mustehsan Bashir

  6. Department of Pediatrics, Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Swat, KPK, Pakistan

    Adnan Khan

  7. Department of Chemistry, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Sheringal, Dir Upper, KPK, Pakistan

    Farman Ali Khan

  8. Department of Dental Materials, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan

    Nawshad Muhammad

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  1. Ayman Zehra
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  2. Natasha Bokhari
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  3. Sadaf Nosheen
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  4. Mustehsan Bashir
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  7. Nawshad Muhammad
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  8. Faiza Sharif
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Contributions

AZ, NB, SN, FS: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, data curation, writing. MB, AK, FAK, NM, FS: methodology, validation, resources, writing, supervision.

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Correspondence to Nawshad Muhammad or Faiza Sharif.

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Zehra, A., Bokhari, N., Nosheen, S. et al. Electrospun Bilayer Membranes Carrying Bearberry/Licorice Extract to Ameliorate Wound Healing. J Polym Environ 32, 735–748 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-023-03007-5

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