Investigation of biocompatibility and antibacterial properties of electrospun chitosan/ polyethylene oxide -based scaffolds containing propolis extract against Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus ep

Bacterial infections represent a prevalent issue in healthcare settings. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has contributed to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and complicating the treatment of such infections. Based on this, there arises a pressing need for alternative drugs to accelerate the treatment of a diverse array of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria without inducing adverse side effects. In response to this need, we have developed chitosan (CS)/polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofibers loaded with propolis extract using the electrospinning technique. We conducted an assessment of the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Chitosan/PEO nanofibers with varying concentrations of propolis against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The nanofibers demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i>, <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i>, and <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>. Additionally, according to the results obtained from the Congo red biofilm test, the optimal concentration of propolis in the nanofibrous mats exhibited a substantial antibiofilm effect against <i>S. aureus</i>, <i>S. epidermidis</i>, and <i>E. faecalis</i>. However, <i>P.aeruginosa</i> displayed growth and formed a relatively weak biofilm. The nanofiber scaffolds also demonstrated moderate antibiofilm activity against <i>S. aureus</i>, <i>S. epidermidis</i>, and <i>E. faecalis</i>, while displaying a weaker antibiofilm effect on <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> in the Tissue Culture Plate test. In summary, the biocompatible and antibacterial propolis extract-loaded Chitosan/PEO nanofibrous mats exhibit promising potential as effective wound dressings.