Development of low-cost bacterial cellulose-pomegranate peel extract-based antibacterial composite for potential biomedical applications

Mazhar Ul-Islam; Wafa Alhajaim; Atiya Fatima; Sumayia Yasir; Tahseen Kamal; Yawar Abbas; Shaukat Khan; Abdul Hakim Khan; Sehrish Manan; Muhammad Wajid Ullah; Guang Yang

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123269

Development of low-cost bacterial cellulose-pomegranate peel extract-based antibacterial composite for potential biomedical applications

Int J Biol Macromol. 2023 Mar 15:231:123269. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123269. Epub 2023 Jan 14.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman.
² Centre of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, King Abdulaziz University, P.O Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Physics, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates.
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman. Electronic address: shkhan@du.edu.om.
⁵ Engineering Department, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Salalah 211, Oman.
⁶ Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
⁷ Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China. Electronic address: wajid_kundi@ujs.edu.cn.
⁸ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: yang_sunny@yahoo.com.

PMID: 36649873
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123269

Abstract

This study was aimed to develop low-cost bacterial cellulose (BC)-based antibacterial composite with pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract (PGPE) for potential biomedical applications. BC was cost-effectively produced by utilizing food wastes, and PGPE was ex situ impregnated into its hydrogel. Field-emission scanning electron microscopic (FE-SEM) observation showed a nanofibrous and microporous morphology of pristine BC and confirmed the development of BC-PGPE composite. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated the chemical interaction of PGPE with BC nanofibers. BC-PGPE composite held 97 % water of its dry weight and retained it for more than 48 h. The BC-PGPE composite exhibited better reswelling capabilities than pristine BC after three consecutive re-wetting cycles. The antibacterial activity of the BC-PGPE composite was determined via minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), disc diffusion, and plate count methods. The PGPE extract showed good antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative), both in the form of extract and composite with BC, with relatively better activity against the former. The BC-PGPE composite produced a 17 mm zone of inhibition against S. aureus, while no inhibition zone was formed against E. coli. Furthermore, BC-PGPE composite caused a 100 % and 50 % reduction in the growth of S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. The findings of this study indicate that BC-PGPE composite could be a promising antibacterial wound dressing material.

Keywords: Antimicrobial activity; BC-PEPG composite; Bacterial cellulose; Pomegranate peel extract.

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
Cellulose / chemistry
Escherichia coli
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Pomegranate*
Staphylococcus aureus

Substances

Cellulose
Anti-Bacterial Agents