Bi-layered nanofibers membrane loaded with titanium oxide and tetracycline as controlled drug delivery system for wound dressing applications

The aim of this study is to develop a novel functional bi-layered membrane loaded titanium oxide (TiO₂) and tetracycline (TTC) for application in wound dressing. The advantages of the electrospinning technique have to be considered for the uniform distribution of nanoparticles and TTC drug. The as prepared nanofibers and TiO₂ were characterized in terms of morphology, fiber diameter, mechanical properties and surface wettability. The in vitro drug release study revealed initial burst release followed by a sustained control release of TTC for 4 days. The in vitro antibacterial of the bi-layered nanofibers was conducted against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria species showing excellent antibacterial effect for drug loaded samples compared with PCL nanofibers. Subsequently, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to evaluate its biocompatibility in vitro. Our results revealed that the bi-layered membrane has better antibacterial and cell compatibility than the control fiber. This suggests that the fabricated biocompatible scaffold is appropriate for a variety of wound dressing applications.