Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol Fiber Mats Containing Phyllanthus emblica Crude Extract
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Abstract
This research investigated the fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrospun fiber mats incorporated with Phyllanthus emblica crude extract using the rotary electrospinning technique. The antibacterial activity, chemical composition, and morphology of the extract-loaded fiber mats were evaluated. The experiment began with the extraction of bioactive compounds from Phyllanthus emblica fruits using 95% ethanol, followed by blending the obtained extract with a PVA solution and fabricating the mixture into fiber mats via electrospinning. The results demonstrated that the Phyllanthus emblica crude extract dissolved in 5% DMSO solution exhibited antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus at extract concentrations of at least 30% (w/v), with the inhibition zone diameters increasing slightly with increasing extract concentration. The PVA fiber mat containing 40% (w/w) Phyllanthus emblica crude extract exhibited clear antibacterial activity, with mean inhibition zone diameters of 12.52 ± 0.62 mm against S. mutans and 11.87 ± 0.41 mm against S. sobrinus. FTIR spectra showed peaks corresponding to functional groups associated with tannins exhibiting antibacterial activity and indicated hydrogen-bonding interactions between the polyphenolic compounds in the extract and PVA. These interactions were associated with morphological changes in the extract-loaded PVA fibers, including interconnections at fiber contact points and an increase in the average fiber diameter to 1.58 ± 0.50 µm, compared with 0.53 ± 0.08 µm for pure PVA fibers. The PVA fiber mats incorporated with Phyllanthus emblica crude extract exhibited antibacterial activity against oral pathogens and have potential for further development as innovative bio-based medical materials for future healthcare and oral care applications.
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