Functionalization of cotton nonwoven with cyclodextrin/lawsone inclusion complex nanofibrous coating for antibacterial wound dressing

Functionalizing cotton to induce biological activity is a viable approach for developing wound dressing. This study explores the development of cotton-based wound dressing through coating with biologically active nanofibers. Bioactive compounds like lawsone offer dual benefits of wound healing and infection prevention, however, their limited solubility and viability hinder their applications. To address this, Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and Hydroxypropyl-gamma-cyclodextrin (HP-γ-CD) were employed. Inclusion complexations of CD/lawsone were achieved at 2:1 and 4:1 M ratios, followed by the fabrication of CD/lawsone nanofibrous systems via electrospinning. Phase solubility studies indicated a twofold increase in lawsone water-solubility with HP-β-CD. Electrospinning yielded smooth and uniform nanofibers with an average diameter of ∼300-700 nm. The results showed that while specific crystalline peaks of lawsone are apparent in the samples with a 2:1 M ratio, they disappeared in 4:1, indicating complete complexation. The nanofibers exhibited ∼100 % loading efficiency of lawsone and its rapid release upon dissolution. Notably, antibacterial assays demonstrated the complete elimination of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus colonies. The CD/lawsone nanofibers also showed suitable antioxidant activity ranging from 50 % to 70 %. This integrated approach effectively enhances lawsone's solubility through CD complexation and offers promise for bilayer cotton-based wound dressings.