TIGER 17 PEPTIDE LOADED POLYCAPROLACTONE/CELLULOSE ACETATE ELECTROSPUN NANOFIBROUS MATS FOR APPLICATIONS IN CUTANEOUS WOUND DRESSINGS

A skin wound if not properly treated can result in a chronic wound susceptible to widespread infections, which can result in the patient's death. Currently, tissue engineering is described as an interdisciplinary field that combines principles of engineering, chemistry and biology to generate solutions that allow to repair, restore and/or improve the functions of injured tissues. In the same sense, the textile area addresses solutions based on polymeric fibers, produced from a wide range of polymers, which allow the generation of structures with a large surface area, porosity and mechanical resistance that can be used as bioactive dressings that promote a healing and efficient antimicrobial activity. This research work focused on the synthesis of Tiger 17, through microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis methodologies, and Tiger 17 commercially obtained, respective structural characterization and evaluation of the antimicrobial capacity. Simultaneously, nanofibrous polymer matrices were produced using the electrospinning technique with the aim of immobilizing the developed biomolecule and thus creating potential vehicles for a local and sustainable antimicrobial action (controlled release). In order to verify its physical and chemical properties, advanced characterization techniques were used: proton nuclear magnetic resonance, high performance liquid chromatography, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy–attenuated total reflectance, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, contact angle and surface energy and determination of porosity and hydration.