Development of poly(ester amide)s based membranes with antibacterial properties

The present study focuses on the design and characterization of electrospun membranes embedding silver sulfadiazine (AgSD), intended to be used as advanced wound dressings. The polymers used for the preparation of the membranes were poly(ester amide)s based on L-phenylalanine (PEA-Phe), that were obtained from the solution polycondensation between a bis--(L-amino acid)-, -alkylene diesters (BAAD) and an activated ester of a dicarboxylic acid. After, the PEA-Phe were subjected to electrospinning for the obtainment of the membranes. For the embedding of AgSD, this was dissolved in the PEA-Phe solution that was subjected to electrospinning. The membranes were then subjected to a thorough characterization in terms of their morphology, surface hydrophilicity, mechanical properties, in vitro cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The membranes showed to have individualized fibers, but some with few defects. The membranes showed a hydrophobic surface, with contact angles higher than 90 o. In what respects the mechanical properties, the membranes showed properties, especially in terms of capacity of being stretched. The in vitro cytotoxicity tests showed that the membranes are non-cytotoxic to fibroblasts. In what concerns the antibacterial tests, unfortunately, the results showed that the membranes embedding AgSD did not present any antibacterial activity. This study lays the foundation for further exploration to refine and optimize wound care materials, with particular attention to the challenges encountered and opportunities for improvement in antimicrobial efficacy. The multidisciplinary approach adopted provides a detailed overview of the design and characterization of electrospun membranes, paving the way for future developments in the field of advanced wound dressings.