Advancements in medicine have led to continuous enhancements and innovations in
wound dressing materials, making them pivotal in medical care. We used natural biological macromolecules, γ-
polyglutamic acid and
gum arabic as primary raw materials to create nanofibers laden with
curcumin by blending electrostatic spinning technology in the current investigation. These nanofibers were meticulously characterized using fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Our comprehensive analyses confirmed the successful encapsulation of
curcumin within the nanofiber carrier and it has uniform diameter, good water absorption and mechanical properties. Subsequently, we evaluated the antimicrobial effects of these
curcumin-loaded nanofibers against Staphylococcus aureus through an oscillating flask method. We created a mouse model with acute full-thickness skin defects to further investigate the wound healing potential. We conducted various biochemical assays to elucidate the mechanism of action. The results revealed that
curcumin nanofibers profoundly impacted wound healing. They bolstered the expression of TGF-β1 and
VEGF and reduced the expression of inflammatory factors, leading to an accelerated re-epithelialization process, enhanced
wound contraction, and increased regeneration of new blood vessels and hair follicles. Furthermore, these nanofibers positively influenced the proportion of three different
collagen types. This comprehensive study underscores the remarkable potential of
curcumin-loaded nanofibers to facilitate wound healing and lays a robust experimental foundation for developing innovative, natural product-based
wound dressings.