Flavonoid-Enriched Solanum mauritianum Leaf Extract/PU/PCL Composite Attenuates Ang II-Induced Inflammation in Cardiomyocytes and Enhances Cell Adhesion.

Abstract

Inflammatory disorders like cardiovascular diseases remain a major global health concern, with oxidative stress and chronic inflammation playing critical roles in disease progression. This study presents a PU/PCL composite functionalized with flavonoid-enriched Solanum mauritianum leaf extract (SL). Incorporation of SL into PU/PCL enhanced its hydrophilicity, oxidative stability, and anti-inflammatory properties, while enabling sustained drug release without adverse in vitro toxicity. PU/PCL/SL was fabricated using a phase inversion technique and characterized to confirm strong molecular interactions, improved thermal stability, and a porous structure that facilitated controlled release. The composite exhibited potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. PU/PCL/SL showed biocompatibility to H9c2 cardiomyocytes and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, while confocal imaging demonstrated enhanced cellular adhesion of H9c2 to PU/PCL/SL. Flow cytometry confirmed the ability of the biomaterial to reduce intracellular ROS. PU/PCL/SL was able to significantly downregulate TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and TLR4 in AngII-activated cardiomyocytes. This highlighted the material's potential as an immunomodulator that can target inflammation. Collectively, these results demonstrate the successful fabrication of a flavonoid-functionalized PU/PCL composite with improved physicochemical properties, sustained release capability, and strong biological relevance through biocompatibility and immunomodulatory activity. Together, these findings position PU/PCL/SL as an advanced multifunctional biomaterial with promising applications in cardiovascular disease.