Title:Pelargonium alchemilloides (L). L’herit Extract-loaded Electrospun Polyvinylpyrrolidone/Cellulose Acetate Blended Nanofibers and their Antimicrobial Activity
Volume: 22
Issue: 1
Author(s): Jonathan Pukuta Kiaka, Makwena Justice Moloto*, Dikeledi Selinah More, Boitumelo Sharlotte Mametja, Fanyana Moses Mtunzi and Samkeliso Takaidza
Affiliation:
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa
Keywords:
Polyvinyl pyrrolidone, cellulose acetate, Pelargonium alchemilloides (L). L’herit, electrospinning, polyphenolic compounds, nanofibers.
Abstract:
Introduction: There is a growing interest in plant extracts due to their natural origin
and wide range of desirable features and benefits. These extracts are easily transferred to other
media to explore their properties and usefulness using advanced technological approaches. Their
encapsulation in a suitable polymer matrix and electrospinning can improve their bioavailability
and maintain the required concentration release of bioactive compounds to the targeted medicinal
site.
Methods: In this study, plant species Pelargonium alchemilloides (L) L’herit (PA) leaf extract
was incorporated into the polyvinylpyrrolidone/cellulose acetate (PVP/CA) polymer blended
matrix and characterized for their morphology, fiber diameter distribution, and structural changes.
The antibacterial sensitivity of the nanofibers was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus
and Escherichia coli using agar diffusion and microdilution methods. GC-MS spectra revealed
the active polyphenolic compounds confirmed using the functional groups in the FTIR spectra
and complimented by the qualitative tests for the presence of various classes of organic bioactive
compounds. The FTIR spectra revealed the dominance of the functional groups such as C-H,
C=O, and COOH due to their significant shifts in their wave numbers, which demonstrated the
interaction and presence of extract in the polymer matrix.
Results: The nanofibers' SEM images showed smooth, uniform nanofibers with diameters decreasing
with a slight increase in leaf extract concentration (306 to 288 nm). The presence of PA
extract in the fibers promoted the antibacterial activity of nanofibers, as proven in the in vitro
antibacterial test (inhibition of bacterial growth). The 5 wt% PA nanofibers showed optimal
antibacterial efficacy, pioneering plant extract-based PVP/CA nanofiber mats with antibacterial
activity.
Conclusion: The present work, thus, proves that the electrospinning technique is an effective
strategy for the formation of antibacterial fibers for the biomedicine, pharmacy, and food industries.
