Piper betle infused bacterial cellulose as a bioactive material for wound healing applications

Chronic and infected wounds present a persistent clinical challenge, often requiring advanced dressings that offer antimicrobial, antioxidative, and regenerative support. Bacterial cellulose (BC), a naturally derived biopolymer, exhibits excellent moisture retention, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility, making it a strong candidate for wound care. However, its lack of intrinsic bioactivity limits its standalone therapeutic potential. In this study, a biofunctional wound healing composite was developed by incorporating Piper betle (PB) leaf extract into BC synthesized by the high-yielding strain Komagataeibacter saccharivorans BC-G1. BC production was optimized using banana peels as a cost-effective substrate. Structural and chemical characterization via FTIR, GC-MS, and SEM confirmed successful integration of PB extract into the BC matrix, enhancing both morphology and functional properties. The modified BC demonstrated potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas fluorescens , and Bacillus subtilis . It also exhibited high antioxidative capacity (200 mg AAE/100 g via DPPH assay) and notable α-amylase inhibition (65 %), supporting its suitability for diabetic wound healing. Biocompatibility testing on HaCaT keratinocyte cells revealed > 80 % cell viability at therapeutic concentrations, with an IC₅₀ of 82.77 µg/mL. Furthermore, MTT and scratch assays confirmed enhanced cell proliferation and a 154 % increase in wound closure at 20 µg/mL within 48 h. These findings present a novel, scalable, and cost-effective strategy for producing multifunctional wound healing materials with combined antimicrobial, antioxidative, and regenerative properties, offering promising potential for next-generation wound care applications. • Sustainable BC production using banana peel as low-cost substrate. • PB extract infused into BC enhances bioactivity. • BC-PB composite promotes keratinocyte proliferation and wound closure. • Developed BC composite offers a scalable solution for bioactive wound dressings.