Production and characterization of black cumin oil loaded nanocomposite polyurethane nanofibrous mat and investigation of its usage performance as wound dressing

The aim of this study is to investigate the potential usage of electrospun black cumin oil loaded nanocomposite polyurethane nanofibrous mats as wound dressings. Therefore, nanocomposite fibrous mats with different black cumin oil amounts were produced with different electrospinning parameters and characterized. Afterwards, the application performance of the produced mats as wound dressings were investigated by in vivo and in vitro studies. The first part of the study was to produce black cumin oil loaded nanocomposite fibrous mats. With this aim, nanocomposite polyurethane solutions with different cumin oil amounts were prepared. Also, polyurethane solution without black cumin oil was prepared. All the solutions were characterized by viscosity, surface tension and pH measurements. Black cumin oil loaded nanofibrous mats were produced by electrospinning with different system parameters. The produced mats were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. According to the results, the best electrospinning solution and electrospinning production parameters were evaluated for in vivo and in vitro studies. In the second part of the study, the potential usage of the produced mats as wound dressings were investigated by in vivo and in vitro studies. The amount of black seed oil components released from the polymeric nanofiber in in vitro was calculated by the absorbance values obtained from the UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Korsmeyer-Peppas mathematical model was found to be the most suitable kinetic model for oil release data from polymeric nanofibers. In in vitro studies, cell viability index was determined by using WST analysis for cytotoxicity of HUVEC cell line of nanofibrous mats with and without black seed oil. It was determined that cell viability indexes were above 70% and cell proliferation occurred on the nanofibrous mat with the highest amount of black seed oil. In the in vivo step of the study, the wound was created on female rats. On the wound site, black cumin oil loaded nanofibrous mat, pure polyurethane nanofibrous mat and commercial wound dressing were used and wound area shrinkage was examined. It was seen that black seed oil added nanofibrous mat performed better than pure nanofibrous mat and commercial wound dressing in terms of wound reduction.