The fabrication and characterization of a novel antibacterial curcumin and TiO 2 loaded gelatin/silk fibroin: polycaprolactone scaffolds for skin tissue engineering

Skin injuries are common problems and large skin defects or infected skin needs extra attention that make the researchers find new solutions. Herein, a novel biocompatible, biodegradable antibacterial scaffold containing gelatin, TiO2, polycaprolactone, and silk fibroin loaded with different ratios of curcumin (0.5, 1, and 1.5% wt.) was fabricated with electrospinning technique and was tested with various in vitro tests. The cellular investigations (cell adhesion, cell viability, and in vitro migration test) and antibacterial assay revealed the higher efficiency of the scaffold with 1% wt. curcumin and further investigation were performed on this scaffold. The morphological observation confirmed the nanofibrous structure of the scaffold, with 0.10 ± 0.015 μm average fiber diameter. This scaffold showed hydrophilic nature with high swelling ratio absorption and 76.45 ± 5.19% degradation ratio after 2 weeks. Also, it could provide adequate mechanical properties for skin regeneration. The drug-releasing investigation revealed Cur's controlled release over 48 h. Therefore, this biocompatible and antibacterial scaffold showed high potential for treating skin injuries and is suggested for future in vivo studies.