Antioxidant activity of novel PCL/bioactive glass composites enriched with polyphenolic compounds extracted from fruits and leaves of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.)

- Polyphenols from sweet cherry fruits and leaves were introduced into composite films.
- PCL matrix was modified with melt-derived and gel-derived bioactive glass particles.
- Different PCL-PPh and BG-PPh interactions affected film properties.
- PPh-loaded films showed high and tunable antioxidant activity.
- PPh-loaded films exhibited excellent in vitro bioactivity and modulated wettability.

The polyphenolic compounds (PPh) extracted from fruits and leaves of sweet cherry were introduced into poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) based films modified with bioactive glass (BG) particles synthesized with the use of sol-gel and melt-quenching methods. PPh-loaded materials exhibited 100% entrapment efficiency of PPh, excellent in vitro bioactivity, improved hydrophilicity and also high antioxidant potential. The use of both BG particles and also PPh from leaves and fruits caused different PCL-PPh and BG-PPh interactions and therefore affected PPh content on the film surfaces. This, in turn, determined surface wettability, polymer matrix crystallinity, in vitro bioactivity, and finally antioxidant activity, providing possibilities for modulating these properties in a wide range.

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