Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers Loaded with Ferula assa-foetida Gum Extract: Fabrication, Characterization, and Antibacterial Activity

Background: Therapeutic effects of plant metabolites have been used for the treatment of burns, wounds and infections over the centuries. Electrospun nanofibers containing plant metabolites have also been considered recently for the development of new and efficient wound dressings. Ferula assa-foetida has received much attention in traditional medicine due to its numerous healing properties. Objective: In the present study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers containing aqueous extracts of F. assa-foetida gum (FAE) were prepared and characterized. The antibacterial activity of nanofibers was investigated. Methods: Electrospinning was utilized for the fabrication of PVA/FAE nanofibers. The morphology, physical and chemical properties of the synthesized nanofibers were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and contact angle test. Results: The uniform nanofibers with the average diameter of 256 nm were obtained by using 8 wt.% PVA, 1:4 (w: w %) ratio of PVA/FAE, needle to collector distance of 13 cm, 20 kV voltage, collector rotation speed of 3 m/min, and flow rate of 0.5 mL/h. The use of FAE led to the increased diameter of nanofibers and their contact angle compared to PVA nanofibers. Interestingly, the PVA/FAE nanofibers displayed considerable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Conclusion: The overall results indicated that PVA/FAE nanofibers can be considered as a potential candidate for the preparation of wound dressings with antibacterial properties.