Rotary Forcespun Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) Fibers as a Mangosteen Pericarp Extracts Carrier

The pericarp of Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) contains xanthone compounds such as α-mangostin, β-mangostin, γ-mangostin, which act as high-level antioxidants [1]. In this study, the mangosteen extract was integrated to PVP fibers to form acomposite by means of rotary forcespinning method aiming to increase the bioavailability and solubility of the extract. The goal of this study was to produce composite fibers with mangosteen extracts as the active ingredient. The mangosteen extract was mixed into PVP solution with thevariousratio (1:0.08, 1:0.10 and 1:0.12) to achieve the best result in term of morphology and antioxidant activity. The morphology and diameter of the fibers were analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM image analysis confirmed the formation of bead-free, crystal-free, and aggregate-free fibers hence proving the perfect loading of the mangosteen extract into the PVP fibers. Beside SEM analysis, the fibers also underwent Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis and antioxidant test using DPPH assay. From the FTIR analysis, it has been found that there was aninteraction between the PVP and the extract in the fiber while the DPPH assay test has proven that the extract still retained its antioxidant ability although already being integrated into the fiber.