Enhancement of wound healing by a bilayer hydrogel and nanofiber scaffold infused with Calophyllum inophyllum oil and Platostoma palustre aqueous extract

Abstract

Natural wound dressings have attracted substantial interest among researchers due to their biocompatible, bioactive, and eco-friendly properties. This paper focuses on introducing the bio-engineered bilayer design, fabrication, and characterizations of a Calophyllum inophyllum seed oil (CIO) - loaded scaffold within a polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate (PVA/SA) matrix, fortified with Hsiantsao aqueous extract. The scaffold - consisting of a semi-hydrophobic hydrogel and a hydrophilic nanofiber - was successfully synthesized using polymerization and centrifugal electrospinning techniques. Engineered to create a synergistic effect; physiologically, the fabricated bilayer scaffold demonstrated increased flexibility in the stress-strain curve via elongation; it also exhibited prompt high water absorption and maintained a neutral pH value (7.125 to 7.325). Chemically, the scaffold showed superior biocompatibility, robust antioxidants (82.19 % ± 0.08 in DPPH scavenging, 90.23 % ± 0.22 in ABTS scavenging), and confirmed antimicrobial activities. In a rat wound model, the CIO-loaded PVA/SA/Hsiantsao scaffold markedly improved wound healing by day 15, reaching a wound closure rate of 98.22 % ± 0.82. Also, the scaffold degraded up to 47 % in vitro within a month, indicating its eco-friendly characteristics. From these findings, this study underscores the potential of the bilayer CIO-loaded PVA/SA/Hsiantsao scaffold as an advanced wound care dressing, setting the stage for prospective clinical applications.