Wound care membranes containing storax oil (Liquidambar orientalis miller) and absorbent materials fabricated by blend electrospinning

Oriental sweetgum balsam or Storax oil (Styrax liquidus) naturally exudes from wounds made on the tree trunk of Liquidambar orientalis. It is a natural material with antibacterial, antimicrobial, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. In traditional folk medicine, it has long been used in the treatment of gastric and skin diseases, therefore it is a good candidate for wound care applications. Electrospinning offers a platform to combine storax oil with poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers together with hydrophilic absorbent polysaccharides. In this study, a single-step fabrication of flexible, lightweight, fibrous membranes was achieved which combined compatible formulations of PCL, storax oil, and either sodium alginate or chitosan as absorbent additives. PCL–Styrax–Chitosan and PCL–Styrax–Alginate membranes were compared to assess their morphology, surface wettability, and mechanical properties, with a focus on achieving homogeneous oil distribution and suitable exudate management through the absorbents. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed relatively uniform fibrous structures for PCL–Styrax and PCL–Styrax–Chitosan combinations, whereas alginate led to partially fused fibers. Hydrophilicity increased significantly with the addition of chitosan or alginate. Mechanical testing showed that chitosan improved flexibility and yielded an elastic modulus very close to skin elasticity, while alginate sharply increased the stiffness. In conclusion, PCL–Styrax–Chitosan membranes may prove to be a promising functional wound dressing opportunity that integrates a traditionally used natural balsam with favorable functions. Furthermore, the fiber morphology, wettability, mechanical strength and flexibility of the membranes are also suitable for this purpose. Future work should address storax oil release kinetics and membrane handling features as wound dressing, prior to in vitro and in vivo wound-healing evaluations.