Abstract
In the early time, natural materials were used only to cover the wound but nowadays wound dressings contain functionalize materials to prevent infections, assist wound healing process, and improve skin restoration. Among dissimilar forms of wound dressings, electrospun nanofibrous wound dressings are the latest and promising ones due to their unique properties. These dressings have morphological similarity to the natural extracellular matrix (ECM), high surface area to volume ratio, greater porosity, continuous and flexible nano structure fibers applicable for drug delivery systems which can approve tissue regeneration, wound fliuid transportation and ensure breathability for cellular growth and proliferation. This review provides a broad overview of latest medicinal plant incorporated bioactive electrospun nanofibrous wound dressing researches and developments. It also discussed the therapeutic properties of different traditional medicinal plants.
1. Introduction
The skin is the largest and outermost organ of the human body. It is a barrier between human body and the external environment, which has the function of maintaining temperature balance, preventing excessive fluid loss, and preventing pathogens from invasion Hongli Ye, Junwen Cheng [1,2]. Once the skin is damaged, there maybe fluid exudate in the injured area, this fluid with body temperature and nutritions there maybe development of infection in wounds which may bring illness of patients, even lead to passing away [3]. Different biomedical textile materials with different manufacturing techniques are used to cover and heal the wound. An ideal wound dressings must have basic characteristics as biocompatible, non-toxic, protective against infection, absorbable, permeable, and quick drug delivery [4-11]. Most wound dressings are based on textile constructions in the form of fibres, yarns, nonwoven, woven, crochet, knitted and braided fabrics, composites and electrospun nanofibrous materials. Foams, films, hydrogels, matrix, and hydrocolloids are also used [8].
4. Conclusions
Day-by-day there are new understandings and discoveries of textile wound dressings. Consequently, researching and developing new functional wound dressings is still an area of research to meet the requirements of complex and un-healing wounds. Electrospun nanofibrous materials have special morphologies, high surface area to volume ratio and porous structure, haemostasis, capability of absorbing exudates, used as drug carriers, and capability to accelerate wound healing. Both natural and synthetic polymers can be used for electrospun nanofibrous material manufacturing, but combination of different polymers (synthetic and natural) will bring special properties for wound healing.
