Loofah and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) nano-fiber-reinforced chitosan hydrogel composite scaffolds with elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) extracts as additives for osteochondral tissue engineering applications

Abstract

In recent years, people have had more expectations from the developed technology in medicine, especially in the field of orthopedics and traumatology. Tissue engineers are interested in techniques that benefit from patients’ cells and biomaterials, instead of prostheses and implants. On the other hand, researchers have begun to use various medicinal plants for regeneration and anti-cancer studies. In the present study, we aimed to produce cartilage and bone inductive scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering applications with the addition of hawthorn or elderberry extracts. Firstly, wet electro-spun poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid) fibers were integrated with a loofah mat. Then, they were impregnated into chitosan solution with/without hawthorn or elderberry extract. Composite hydrogel scaffolds were obtained by cross-linking with 0.3% (w/v) genipin. Fabricated scaffolds had more than 90% porosity and showed swelling capacity in the range of 1500–2200%. Based on the in vitro biocompatibility analyses using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), all the fabricated scaffolds were found to be biocompatible by WST-1, ALP activity, and GAG content analysis. Also, histological/immunohistochemical analyses showed that hawthorn and elderberry extract addition increased MSCs proliferation and collagen type I and II positivity. Consequently, all the scaffolds showed promising features for osteochondral tissue engineering applications. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.)