Environmentally friendly electrospun PLA/MCC nanofibrous membranes loaded with ZnO and curcumin: Dual antibacterial and antioxidant properties for wound dressings

Infection and excessive oxidative stress are major challenges in wound healing. Herein, quaternary electrospun membranes were fabricated using polylactic acid (PLA) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as the matrix, with zinc oxide (ZnO) and curcumin (Cur) as functional additives to achieve dual antibacterial and antioxidant functions. MCC acted as a structural reinforcer and hydrophilic modifier to improve the mechanical properties and hydrophilicity of the PLA matrix, while ZnO and Cur served as synergistic bioactive components to endow the membranes with outstanding antibacterial and antioxidant capacities. ZnO-only groups (Z1 and Z2) exhibited moderate antibacterial and antioxidant activities. In contrast, the incorporation of Cur remarkably boosted these effects. The Z1C3 sample displayed a DPPH radical scavenging rate of 64.5%, alongside antibacterial efficiencies of 71.27% against Escherichia coli and 92.04% against S. aureus . Further elevation of ZnO and Cur loading yielded superior bioactivity; Z2C5 achieved antibacterial rates of 77.38% against E. coli , 95.68% against S. aureus , and a DPPH scavenging ratio of 89.98%. These results indicate that ZnO and Cur loading can be adjusted to balance bioactivity and safety. From the biosafety perspective, Cur greatly improved biocompatibility and reduced the hemolysis rate below 5%. Overall, the PLA/MCC/ZnO/Cur nanofibrous membranes hold promise as functional wound dressing materials, offering a potential strategy for the design of sustainable and multifunctional wound care materials. Download: Download high-res image (264KB) Download: Download full-size image