Electrostatic spinning membranes of eugenol liposome-loaded polyvinyl alcohol: preparation, characterisation and performance studies

Abstract Eugenol is the main antioxidant and antimicrobial component of essential oils, however, its volatility and water solubility limit its application. In this study, eugenol liposomes (Eug-Lip) by the ethanol injection method. The average particle size of Eug-Lip was measured to be between 40 and 70 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.2934, a potential between −30 and −60 mV, and an encapsulation rate of 87.12%. The polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based nanofiber membrane (Eug-Lip-NF) was prepared by the electrostatic spinning technique. This not only improved the water solubility and stability of eugenol, but also extended its release time and preserved its biological activity. The high-voltage electric field facilitates the retention of the antioxidant ability of the membrane, as well as the inhibition of both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). These results indicate that the combination of liposome and electrostatic spinning technology provides feasibility and promise for eugenol in food and medicine fields.