A simple and cost-effective material
composed of polyacrylonitrile
nanofibers containing different concentrations of moringa (MR) leaf
extracts was fabricated for antimicrobial properties and wound dressing.
The fabricated materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy,
thermal gravimetric analysis, and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy.
The antibacterial sensitivity of the developed polyacrylonitrile-moringa
extract nanofibers was evaluated against Staphylococcus
aureus and Escherichia coli by the agar diffusion method. A pronounced antibacterial activity
was observed with the increase in the incorporated moringa leaf extract
concentration within the polyacrylonitrile-moringa extract nanofibers
against the bacterial strains. The best antibacterial sensitivity
was observed for nanofibers containing 0.5 g of moringa leaf extract
which had an inhibitory zone of 15 mm for E. coli and 12 mm for S. aureus. Furthermore,
the cost-effective and biodegradable nanofibrous polyacrylonitrile–moringa
extract nanofiber was also used to conduct further studies regarding
wound dressing. The result reveals that the increase in the concentrations
of moringa leaf extract influenced the healing properties of the material.
For days 1, 4, and 7 of the wound dressing experiment, the % wound
closure of the rat was the highest for the nanofiber containing 0.5
g of moringa leaf extract (35, 87, and 95%, respectively) compared
to the positive control medical gauze (29, 75, and 93%, respectively).