Naringenin loading endows electrospun bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates with antimicrobial and enhanced wound healing properties

The high potential of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and potential sustainable production is driving new biomedical strategies for their loading with bioactive molecules. The aim of this study was to develop electrospun meshes made from two different bacterial PHAs and loaded with naringenin (Nar), a bioactive flavonoid. In particular, blending poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) or poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) with poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) was investigated as an effective method to enhance the processing properties of electrospinning solutions. Nar-loaded PHBV/PLGA and PHBHHx/PLGA meshes with a non-woven structure characterized by fibers with a diameter of 1.5–3 μm were successfully fabricated. The loaded Nar (1 % wt) was released quickly in the first hours followed by a slow release up to 4–11 days with a different profile, depending on the kind of PHA investigated. The mesh erosion during a 12-week in vitro study was investigated by monitoring the variation profiles of weight, molecular weight, comonomers ratio, and mesh morphology, which were consistent with a bulk erosion process. Nar loading endowed the developed meshes with in vitro antimicrobial activity against a Gram-positive and a Gram-negative strain. The two developed meshes were also effective in supporting the viability of murine fibroblasts in vitro, with a positive effect on the wound healing process due to Nar release. The reported results highlight the potential for the developed electrospun materials to be used as antimicrobial wound dressings and encourage further research in this area.