Coaxial Electrospun wound dressing integrated with Ag-doped hydroxyapatite for wound healing: Tetracycline delivery

Abstract

The human body's natural defense against inflammation in wounds can sometimes be insufficient. Introducing a wound dressing with this capability could significantly enhance the healing process. This study aimed to create a PVP/PVA-based coaxial electrospun wound dressing integrated with tetracycline-loaded Ag-doped hydroxyapatite (Ag@iHA) in three concentrations [G1, G2, and G3]) with a focus on drug release and antibacterial activity. Nanoparticles were analyzed using DLS, Zeta potential, SEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR. The final wound dressing was studied from the viewpoint of physicochemical properties biologically, and finally, it was assessed under an in vivo study (9 Wistar rats, six days). Drug release was measured at three pH (5.4, 7, and 9). The results showed a remarkable success in the integration of silver ion in the hydroxyapatite structure, with a 90–600 nm size. Increasing the content of hydroxyapatite improved the quality of nanofibers that were produced. The nanofibers had high hydrophilicity (<5˚) and swelling rates (70–118 %), which were wholly degraded after 14 days. The amount of the released drug was completely different at each pH and was higher in an alkaline environment, as seen in wounds. The survival percentage (>90 %) of L929 cells showed the biocompatibility of nanofibers. In the animal study, all groups reduced the growth of microorganisms, but the most efficacy belonged to the G3 group. In conclusion, this novel wound dressing has the potential to significantly accelerate the body's natural healing process by controlling the growth of microorganisms.