The University of Campinas in Brazil in collaboration with The Electrospinning Company, UCL and Nottingham Trent University has published a paper in the Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering describing a novel electrospun scaffold containing Copaiba oil. The incorporation of bioactive compounds into biodegradable polymers, such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) allows the fabrication of drug releasing bioactive scaffolds for potential use in applications such as wound care. Native to the tropical region of Latin America, Copaiba oil is extracted from material from the Copaifera species. The oil is a FDA approved compound known for its wound healing, anti-inflammatory, analgesics, antifungal and antimicrobial functions.Tests of cell growth with lung fibroblast cells reported a strong affinity of the fibroblasts and the biomaterial (see image on the right).
Lung fibroblasts growing on a PLGA scaffold containing Copaiba oil
The Company, in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, hosted Ana Luiza Millas, a student from Campinas, in a Santander-sponsored exchange programme. She also collaborated with Dr Yusuf Mohammed of University College London based at Research Complex Harwell on imaging of the materials and cells.
A. L. G. Millas, R. McKean, R. Stevens, M. Yusuf, J. V.W. Silveira, M. B. Puzzi, E. Bittencourt “Fabrication of electrospun scaffolds incorporating an Amazonian therapeutic oil from the Copaifera sp. for wound care applications” J. Biomater. Tissue Eng. 4 (2014), pp. 217-220.
