Commiphora myrrha-functionalized bacterial cellulose as a potential wound healing biomaterial

Abstract

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a valuable biomaterial for wound treatment due to its strong biocompatibility, porous structure, and mechanical strength. This study prepared BC membranes enriched with myrrh to enable them to contribute more effectively and rapidly to the wound healing process. Commiphora myrrha, a traditional medicinal plant known for its healing properties, was incorporated into the BC structure for the first time in this study; its physicochemical properties and cellular behavior were examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses conducted to examine morphological properties demonstrated that myrrh resin was successfully incorporated into the nanofiber network of BC. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses showed that increased myrrh content in BC films led to stronger intermolecular interactions within the membrane, which in turn supported enhanced thermal stability. According to the MTT test results performed using L929 mouse fibroblast cells, all biopolymers showed over 80% cell viability and were found to have no cytotoxic effect. Furthermore, it was noted that BC/mure composite films significantly increased cell adhesion and proliferation. Specifically, a 146.92% increase in cell adhesion was observed up to the 7th day in the BC membrane containing 2.5% mure. These findings indicate that the addition of mure improves the hydrogen bonding capacity, thermal properties, and cell compatibility of BC. The resulting natural composite structure can be considered a strong candidate for use in wound healing by supporting three-dimensional extracellular matrix formation and tissue regeneration.