Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Nanofibers made by Polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blends dissolved in formic acid/acetic acid (FA/AA) solvents have considerable promise for wound dressing. However, the progressive acidic hydrolysis of PCL in FA/AA leads to time-dependent viscosity reduction, limiting solution spinnability and reproducibility. This study investigated the protective effect of honey on PCL-PVA solution stability and the physicochemical and biological properties of nanofibers. PCL-PVA solutions containing 7.5% and 10% w/w honey were electrospun on Days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 of storage and characterized by physicochemical tests. Biocompatibility was assessed by MTT and SEM- morphology of fibroblasts on the scaffolds. The PVA-PCL lost spinnability after Day 5, whereas honey-containing groups maintained bead-free fiber formation throughout 21 days. Swelling degree was inversely correlated with honey concentration, while degradation rate increased proportionally with honey content. Honey-containing scaffolds preserved significantly higher tensile strength over the storage period compared to control. MTT demonstrated excellent fibroblast viability on 7.5% honey scaffolds, whereas 10% honey exhibited cytotoxicity. Cell attachment was significantly better on the 7.5% scaffold. Findings suggested adding 7.5% honey to PCL-PVA solutions is an effective strategy for overcoming the instability caused by acidic hydrolysis, while improving scaffold wettability, mechanical durability, and compatibility with cells.</p>