Characterization and in‐vitro analysis of poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐“Jackfruit” Mucilage blends for tissue engineering applications

Abstract

AbstractJackfruit mucilage (JM) obtained from the fruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus was melt blended with poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL). The physical properties of the blends with more than 60 wt% PCL were investigated. Depression in the equilibrium melting temperature () and the presence of extinction rings in the spherulites of PCL in the blends confirmed miscibility of the two components. The carbonyl and the COC groups of PCL and JM were responsible for the interactions as identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal stability of PCL decreased marginally in the blends with increasing JM content. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that no phase separation occurred. Porosity and the mechanical strength of the blends decreased with increasing JM content. Blends exposed to porcine pancreatic lipase showed enzymatic degradation of JM but not PCL and SEM images showed holes in the sample indicative of selective degradation of JM. Cell growth inhibition technique using the L929 fibroblasts cells showed the degree of inhibition was dependent on the increasing JM content in the blends. Blends with low JM content have the potential to be used for increased cell viability while blends with high JM content can be used for the treatment of cancer.