Synthesis and Characterization of Ibuprofen–TiO2 Functionalized PCL Biomembranes as Candidate Materials for Wound Dressing Applications

Wound dressing coverages (WDC) play a key role in protecting skin lesions and preventing infection. Polymeric membranes have been widely explored as WDC due to their ability to incorporate bioactive agents, including antimicrobial nanoparticles and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL)-based membranes functionalized with titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) and ibuprofen (IBP) were fabricated using a film manufacturing approach, and their structural and biocompatibility profiles were evaluated. The membranes were characterized by SEM, FTIR and XPS. Bands at 1725 cm^-1, 2950 cm^-1, 2955 cm^-1, 2865 cm^-1 and 510 cm^-1 proved molecular stability of reagents during manufacture. In SEM, the control shows the flattest surface, while the PCL-IBP and PCL-IBP-TiO₂ NPs groups had increased rugosity. In vitro biocompatibility was evaluated using human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB). On day 3, the cell adhesion response of hFOB seeded in PCL-IBP and PCL-IBP-TiO₂ NPs groups showed the biggest absorbances (<i>p</i> = 0.0014 and <i>p</i> = 0.0491, respectively). On day 7 PCL-IBP group had lower lectin binding than the control (<i>p</i> = 0.007) and the PCL-IBP-TiO₂ NPs (<i>p</i> = 0.015) membranes, but no evidence of cytotoxicity was observed in any group. Furthermore, the Live/Dead test adds more biocompatibility evidence to conveniently discriminate between live and dead cells. The PCL polymeric membrane elaborated in this study may confer antiseptic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, making these membranes ideal for skin lesions.