An in vitro evaluation of Genipin-crosslinked and Hypericum perforatum incorporated novel membranes for skin tissue engineering applications

Incorporating medicinal plant extracts in membranes have a great potential as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications or vehicles for delivering therapeutic agents. Herein, Hypericum perforatum oil (0.25, 0.50, % vol/vol) loaded membranes were developed with Polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan polymer, where Genipin works as a chemical crosslinker to obtain a wound dressing material with acceptable characterization properties. Chemical groups, surface morphology, water uptake capacity, water vapor permeability rate, hydrophilicity, and mechanical properties of membranes were thoroughly investigated. Increasing oil concentration had a significant effect on the water uptake, surface morphology. and water vapor permeability rate of the membranes. Cytocompatibility of the membrane was also investigated with mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazoyl-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for direct and indirect cell culture studies. SEM was used to investigate the cell morphology on the membranes. The MTT assay findings prove that Genipin crosslinked H. perforatum oil loaded scaffolds are highly biocompatible and enhance the adhesion and proliferation of MEF cells. In addition to this, the genotoxicity test was performed to show DNA fragmentation. Results showed that the H. perforatum oil loaded polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan membrane presents suitable properties for potential skin tissue engineering applications.