Development of Bioactive Cotton, Wool, and Silk Fabrics Functionalized with <i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. for Healthcare and Medical Applications: An In Vivo Study
<b>Background:</b> This study presents an innovative approach to developing bioactive natural fabrics for healthcare and medical applications. <b>Methods:</b> An ethanol extract of <i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. (in further text: OE), exhibiting exceptional antioxidan...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Pharmaceutics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/17/7/856 |
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| Summary: | <b>Background:</b> This study presents an innovative approach to developing bioactive natural fabrics for healthcare and medical applications. <b>Methods:</b> An ethanol extract of <i>Origanum vulgare</i> L. (in further text: OE), exhibiting exceptional antioxidant (100%) and antibacterial activity (>99% against <i>E.coli</i> and <i>S.aureus</i>), was employed to biofunctionalize cotton, wool, and silk fabrics. <b>Results:</b> All biofunctionalized fabrics demonstrated strong antioxidant activity (>99%), while antibacterial efficacy varied by fabric: cotton > 54%, wool > 99%, and silk > 89%. OE-biofunctionalized wool possessed the highest release of OE’s bioactive compounds, followed by silk and cotton, indicating substrate-dependent release behavior. This tunable fabrics’ OE release profile, along with their unique bioactivity, supports targeted applications: OE-functionalized silk for luxury or prolonged therapeutic use (skin-care textiles, post-surgical dressings, anti-aging products), cotton for disposable or short-term use (protective wipes, minor wound coverings), and wool for wound dressings. The biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of OE-biofunctionalized wool were evaluated via in vitro assays using healthy human keratinocytes and in vivo testing in <i>Wistar albino</i> male rats. The obtained results revealed that OE-functionalized wool significantly accelerated wound closure (97.8% by day 14), enhanced collagen synthesis (6.92 µg/mg hydroxyproline), and improved tissue and systemic antioxidant defense while reducing oxidative stress markers in skin and blood samples of rats treated with OE-biofunctionalized wool. <b>Conclusions:</b> OE-biofunctionalized wool demonstrates strong potential as an advanced natural solution for managing chronic wounds. Further clinical validation is recommended to confirm its performance in real-world healthcare settings. This work introduces an entirely new application of OE in textile biofunctionalization, offering alternatives for healthcare and medical textiles. |
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| ISSN: | 1999-4923 |