Electrospun nylon 6/hyaluronic acid/chitosan bioactive nanofibrous composite as a potential antibacterial wound dressing.

Abstract

Hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (CS), as natural biomaterials, display excellent biocompatibility and stimulate the growth and proliferation of fibroblasts. Furthermore, nylon 6 (N6) is a low-cost polymer with good compatibility with human tissues and high mechanical stability. In this study, HA and CS were applied to modify N6 nanofibrous mat (N6/HA/CS) for potential wound dressing. N6/HA/CS nanofibrous composite mats were developed using a simple one-step electrospinning technique at different CS concentrations of 1, 2, and 3 wt%. The results demonstrated that incorporating HA and CS into N6 resulted in increased hydrophilicity, as well as favorable physical and mechanical properties. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration and (MIC) optical density techniques were used to determine the antibacterial properties of N6/HA/CS nanofibrous composite mats, and the results demonstrated that the composites could markedly inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. Because of its superior mechanical properties, substantial antimicrobial effects, and hydrophilic surface, N6/HA/CS at 2 wt% of CS (N6/HA/CS2) was chosen as the most suitable nanofibrous mat. The swelling, porosity, gel content, and in vitro degradation studies imply that N6/HA/CS2 nanofibrous composite mat has proper moisture retention and biodegradability. Furthermore, the N6/HA/CS2 nanofibrous composite mat was discovered to be nontoxic to L929 fibroblast cells and to even improve cell proliferation. Based on the findings, this research offers a simple and rapid method for creating material that could be utilized as prospective wound dressings in clinical environments.