Sustainable waste-derived cellulose–chitosan–Medinilla speciosa bioplastic for antibacterial and anthelmintic applications

A sustainable biodegradable bioplastic was fabricated from waste-derived banana pseudostem cellulose, golden apple snail shell chitosan, and Medinilla speciosa extract via a green acetylation–casting process. Structural analyses (FTIR, XRD) confirmed successful acetylation and hydrogen-bond interactions, while SEM revealed a homogeneous and compact morphology in extract-enriched films. Mechanical performance improved from 0.49 MPa to 0.81 MPa in tensile strength and from 78% to 298% in elongation, indicating enhanced flexibility and interfacial compatibility. The optimized formulation exhibited strong antibacterial activity with inhibition zones of 23.4–31.7 mm against representative Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, significant anthelmintic activity was observed, with egg hatch inhibition reaching 79–83% and adult mortality exceeding 90% within 24 h. Biodegradation studies demonstrated up to 45% mass loss after 8 months under biologically active conditions. These results highlight a multifunctional bioplastic system that integrates biodegradability and intrinsic bioactivity, making it suitable for flexible, bioactive, and soil-contact applications such as agricultural films and active biodegradable packaging, while supporting circular bioeconomy strategies.