Lysozyme‐Loaded Novel PVA ‐Chitosan‐Gum Arabic Electrospun Nanofibers: Release Kinetics, Modeling and Antibacterial Assessment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Formation of persistent biofilm on chronic wounds is a significant complication that contributes to wound progression, tissue death, and ultimately, the need for limb amputation. Due to ever‐growing concern regarding the development of antimicrobial resistance toward antibiotics, antimicrobial enzymes such as lysozyme have been explored. In the present study, novel electrospun nanofibers were fabricated from blends of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), chitosan, and gum arabic (GA) at three different mass ratios. The mass ratios used were 1.7: 0.02: 0.07, 1.7: 0.02: 0.14, and 1.7: 0.02: 0.21 (PVA: chitosan: gum arabic, w/w/w), corresponding to formulations NF/PCA‐1, NF/PCA‐2, and NF/PCA‐3, respectively, and an average diameter of 221 ± 59 nm was synthesized and loaded with lysozyme aggregates (amyloids) for application as wound dressing loading efficiency (up to 89%). The NF/PCA was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and contact angle assessment. NF/PCA‐3 absorbed 69% of its weight in water. The release of lysozyme from NF/PCA matrices was found to fit best to the Baker–Lonsdale model indicating that lysozyme was entrapped in the nanofiber matrix and not just adsorbed at the surface. The K m and V max values of NF/PCA‐3 loaded with lysozyme (0.25 mg/cm 2 ) 0.18 mg and 4251 units/mL, respectively. The immobilized lysozyme exhibited activity over a wide range of pH values. The lysozyme‐loaded (0.5 mg/cm 2 ) NF/PCA‐3 nanofibers possessed excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus subtilis , and Pseudomonas with a maximum inhibition of 4.2 cm observed against S. aureus . NF/PCA‐3 also inhibited biofilm formation with an efficacy of 94.0% in the case of B. subtilis followed by 91.0% in the case of P. aeruginosa and then 42.0% in the case of S. aureus .