Electrospun polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers containing bay leaf extract: Influence of mass ratio on morphology and drug delivery potential

Indonesia’s rich biodiversity offers great potential for medicinal plant development, yet their application in effective oral drug formulations remains limited. Bay leaf ( Syzygium polyanthum ), known for its pharmacological properties including antioxidant activity, is commonly used as a culinary spice or topical remedy rather than as an oral drug. This is due to challenges such as its coarse texture, low water solubility, and poor bioavailability of hydrophobic active compounds. Conventional dosage forms are inadequate to overcome these limitations. This study aims to develop a nanofiber-based drug delivery system using bay leaf extract (BLE) to enhance solubility, bioavailability, and controlled release for oral use. Nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning with varying mass ratios of PVA to BLE solution: 10:0, 9:1, and 8:2 (samples H1, H2, and H3). The BLE exhibited very strong antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 11 ppm. UV-Vis spectroscopy confirmed successful extract incorporation into the PVA matrix. SEM analysis revealed uniform nanofibers with diameters ranging from 100 to 200 nm. FTIR spectra indicated the presence of characteristic functional groups from BLE in the nanofibers. XRD analysis showed crystallinity indices between 67% and 76%. BLE-loaded nanofibers exhibited lower antioxidant activity than pure BLE, which was attributed to the low BLE loading in the fibers (1–2 wt%) rather than degradation during electrospinning. Wettability tests confirmed the hydrophilic nature of the samples, and solubility studies demonstrated enhanced solubility compared to pure BLE. Overall, PVA/BLE nanofibers were successfully fabricated and exhibit promising potential as an innovative oral drug delivery system for plant-based therapeutics. • Bay leaf extract (BLE) exhibits strong antioxidant activity (IC50 = 11 ppm), showing potential for therapeutic applications. • Electrospun PVA/BLE nanofibers were successfully fabricated to enhance BLE's solubility and bioavailability. • Nanofibers displayed uniform morphology (100–200 nm) and effective BLE incorporation confirmed by UV-Vis, FTIR, and XRD. • Antioxidant activity increased with higher BLE loading in the nanofibers (1–2 wt%) but remained lower than the pure extract. • Nanofibers showed improved hydrophilicity and solubility, supporting their potential use in oral drug delivery system.