Electrospun Doxorubicin-loaded PEO/PCL core/sheath nanofibers for chemopreventive action against breast cancer cells

Transformation of Natural Resin Resina Draconis to 3D Functionalized Fibrous Scaffolds for Efficient Chronic Wound Healing

Chronic wound healing is a major challenge in clinical practice. Secondary dressing damage and antibiotic resistance are the main obstacles for traditional wound dressings. Resina draconis (RD), a natural resin traditionally used in powder form for wound care, is now considered unsuitable due to the lack of gas permeability and moist environment required for wound healing. Here, RD is incorporated in situ by constructing a 3D coiled fibrous scaffold with polycaprolactone/polyethylene oxide. Due to the high porosity of 3D scaffold, the RD-3D dressings have a favorable swelling capacity, providing permeability and moisture for wound repair. Meanwhile, the transformation of RD powder into 3D dressings fully demonstrates capabilities of RD in rapid hemostasis, bactericidal, and inflammation-regulating activities. In vivo evaluations using pressure ulcer and infected wound models confirm the high efficacy of RD-3D dressing in early wound healing, particularly beneficial in the infected wound model compared to recombinant bovine FGF-basic. Further biological analysis shows that resveratrol, loureirin A, and loureirin B, as potentially bioactive components of RD, individually contribute to different aspects of wound healing. Collectively, RD-3D integrated dressings represent a simple, cost-effective, and safe approach to wound healing, providing an alternative therapy for translating medical dressings from bench to bedside.

Levofloxacin loaded poly (ethylene oxide)-chitosan/quercetin loaded poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) core-shell electrospun nanofibers for burn wound healing

This study developed a new burn wound dressing based on core-shell nanofibers that co-deliver antibiotic and antioxidant drugs. For this purpose, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-chitosan (CS)/poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) core-shell nanofibers were fabricated through co-axial electrospinning technique. Antibiotic levofloxacin (LEV) and antioxidant quercetin (QS) were incorporated into the core and shell parts of PEO-CS/PLGA nanofibers, respectively. The drugs could bond to the polymer chains through hydrogen bonding, leading to their steady release for 168 h. An in vitro drug release study showed a burst effect followed by sustained release of LEV and QS from the nanofibers due to the Fickian diffusion. The NIH 3T3 fibroblast cell viability of the drug loaded core-shell nanofibers was comparable to that in the control (tissue culture polystyrene) implying biocompatibility of the nanofibers and their cell supportive role. However, there was no significant difference in cell viability between the drug loaded and drug free core-shell nanofibers. According to in vivo experiments, PEO-CS-LEV/PLGA-QS core-shell nanofibers could accelerate the healing process of a burn wound compared to a sterile gauze. Thanks to the synergistic therapeutic effect of LEV and QS, a significantly higher wound closure rate was recorded for the drug loaded core-shell nanofibrous dressing than the drug free nanofibers and control. Conclusively, PEO-CS-LEV/PLGA-QS core-shell nanofibers were shown to be a promising wound healing material that could drive the healing cascade through local co-delivery of LEV and QS to burn wounds.

Electrospun Nanofibers: Shaping the Future of Controlled and Responsive Drug Delivery

Electrospun nanofibers for drug delivery systems (DDS) introduce a revolutionary means of administering pharmaceuticals, holding promise for both improved drug efficacy and reduced side effects. These biopolymer nanofiber membranes, distinguished by their high surface area-to-volume ratio, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, are ideally suited for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. One of their standout attributes is the capability to offer the controlled release of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), allowing custom-tailored release profiles to address specific diseases and administration routes. Moreover, stimuli-responsive electrospun DDS can adapt to conditions at the drug target, enhancing the precision and selectivity of drug delivery. Such localized API delivery paves the way for superior therapeutic efficiency while diminishing the risk of side effects and systemic toxicity. Electrospun nanofibers can foster better patient compliance and enhanced clinical outcomes by amplifying the therapeutic efficiency of routinely prescribed medications. This review delves into the design principles and techniques central to achieving controlled API release using electrospun membranes. The advanced drug release mechanisms of electrospun DDS highlighted in this review illustrate their versatility and potential to improve the efficacy of medical treatments.

Multi-material electrospinning: from methods to biomedical applications

Electrospinning as a versatile, simple, and cost-effective method to engineer a variety of micro or nanofibrous materials, has contributed to significant developments in the biomedical field. However, the traditional electrospinning of single material only can produce homogeneous fibrous assemblies with limited functional properties, which oftentimes fails to meet the ever-increasing requirements of biomedical applications. Thus, multi-material electrospinning referring to engineering two or more kinds of materials, has been recently developed to enable the fabrication of diversified complex fibrous structures with advanced performance for greatly promoting biomedical development. This review firstly gives an overview of multi-material electrospinning modalities, with a highlight on their features and accessibility for constructing different complex fibrous structures. A perspective of how multi-material electrospinning opens up new opportunities for specific biomedical applications, i.e., tissue engineering and drug delivery, is also offered.

PCL/gelatin nanofibers embedded with doxorubicin-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles/silver nanoparticles as an antibacterial and anti-melanoma cancer

Melanoma cancer wound healing is critical and complex and poses a significant challenge to researchers. Drug resistance, adverse side effects, and inefficient localization of chemotherapeutic drugs limit common treatment strategies in melanoma cancer. Using drug delivery nanostructures with low side effects and high efficiency, besides having antibacterial and antiseptic properties, can effectively repair the damage caused by the disease. To this end, this study aimed to develop a drug delivery nanosystem based on doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded amine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), linked with green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Characterization methods including microscopic methods and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the synthesis and functionalization of the well-dispersed nanoparticles with nanosized and uniform structures. The poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers as a strong scaffold were produced by the blow spinning method and DOX-loaded nanoparticles were blow spun on PCL nanofibers along with gelatin solution. The resulting nanosystem including nanofibers and nanoparticles (NFs/NPS) showed a fine loading percent with a proper release profile of DOX and AgNPs and low hemolysis activity. Moreover, besides preventing infection by AgNPs, the DOX-loaded NFs/NPs could effectively destroy melanoma cancer cells. The attachment of normal cells to the nanoparticles-loaded nanofibers scaffold revealed the possibility of healing wounds caused by melanoma cancer.

A Neural Network Approach to Reducing the Costs of Parameter-Setting in the Production of Polyethylene Oxide Nanofibers

Nanofibers, which are formed by the electrospinning process, are used in a variety of applications. For this purpose, a specific diameter suited for each application is required, which is achieved by varying a set of parameters. This parameter adjustment process is empirical and works by trial and error, causing high input costs and wasting time and financial resources. In this work, an artificial neural network model is presented to predict the diameter of polyethylene nanofibers, based on the adjustment of 15 parameters. The model was trained from 105 records from data obtained from the literature and was then validated with nine nanofibers that were obtained and measured in the laboratory. The average error between the actual results was 2.29%. This result differs from those taken in an evaluation of the dataset. Therefore, the importance of increasing the dataset and the validation using independent data is highlighted.

Therapeutic Agent-Loaded Fibrous Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications

Tissue engineering is a sophisticated field that involves the integration of various disciplines, such as clinical medicine, material science, and life science, to repair or regenerate damaged tissues and organs. To achieve the successful regeneration of damaged or diseased tissues, it is necessary to fabricate biomimetic scaffolds that provide structural support to the surrounding cells and tissues. Fibrous scaffolds loaded with therapeutic agents have shown considerable potential in tissue engineering. In this comprehensive review, we examine various methods for fabricating bioactive molecule-loaded fibrous scaffolds, including preparation methods for fibrous scaffolds and drug-loading techniques. Additionally, we delved into the recent biomedical applications of these scaffolds, such as tissue regeneration, inhibition of tumor recurrence, and immunomodulation. The aim of this review is to discuss the latest research trends in fibrous scaffold manufacturing methods, materials, drug-loading methods with parameter information, and therapeutic applications with the goal of contributing to the development of new technologies or improvements to existing ones.

Physico-Chemical, Mechanical, and Biological Properties of Polylactide/Portulaca oleracea Extract Electrospun Fibers

Electrospinning was used to create fibrous polylactide (PLA) materials loaded with Portulaca oleracea (P. oleracea) plant extract obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide. Morphological, physico-chemical, mechanical, and biological characteristics of the fibers were studied. According to the SEM results, the diameters of smooth and defect-free fibers fabricated by a one-pot electrospinning method were at micron scale. All the obtained materials possess good mechanical properties. Additionally, it was found that the composite fibers exhibited considerable antioxidant activity. The antimicrobial activity of the fibrous materials against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was determined as well. In vitro studies showed that the electrospun biomaterials had no cytotoxic effects and that the combination of PLA and the P. oleracea extract in the fiber structure promoted cell survival and proliferation of normal mouse fibroblasts. The obtained results reveal that microfibrous mats containing the polyester-PLA and the plant extract-P. oleracea can be suitable for applications in wound healing.

A Review of the Release Profiles and Efficacies of Chemotherapy Drug-Loaded Electrospun Membranes

Electrospun fibrous membranes loaded with chemotherapy drugs have been broadly studied, many of which have had promising data demonstrating therapeutic effects on cancer cell inhibition, tumor size reduction, the life extension of tumor-bearing animals, and more. Nevertheless, their drug release profiles are difficult to predict since their degradation pattern varies with crystalline polymers. In addition, there is room for improving their release performances, optimizing the release patterns, and achieving better therapeutic outcomes. In this review, the key factors affecting electrospun membrane drug release profiles have been systematically reviewed. Case studies of the release profiles of typical chemotherapy drugs are carried out to determine the preferred polymer choices and techniques to achieve the expected prolonged or enhanced release profiles. The therapeutic effects of these electrospun, chemo-drug-loaded membranes are also discussed. This review aims to assist in the design of future drug-loaded electrospun materials to achieve preferred release profiles with enhanced therapeutic efficacies.

Electrospun Nanofiber Composites for Drug Delivery: A Review on Current Progresses

A medication’s approximate release profile should be sustained in order to generate the desired therapeutic effect. The drug’s release site, duration, and rate must all be adjusted to the drug’s therapeutic aim. However, when designing drug delivery systems, this may be a considerable hurdle. Electrospinning is a promising method of creating a nanofibrous membrane since it enables drugs to be placed in the nanofiber composite and released over time. Nanofiber composites designed through electrospinning for drug release purposes are commonly constructed of simple structures. This nanofiber composite produces matrices with nanoscale fiber structure, large surface area to volume ratio, and a high porosity with small pore size. The nanofiber composite’s large surface area to volume ratio can aid with cell binding and multiplication, drug loading, and mass transfer processes. The nanofiber composite acts as a container for drugs that can be customized to a wide range of drug release kinetics. Drugs may be electrospun after being dissolved or dispersed in the polymer solution, or they can be physically or chemically bound to the nanofiber surface. The composition and internal structure of the nanofibers are crucial for medicine release patterns.

A Study on the Effect of Nanoscale MgO and Hydrogen Bonding in Nanofiber Mats for the Controlled Drug Release along with In Vitro Breast Cancer Cell Line and Antimicrobial Studies

Nanosized metal oxide-incorporated drug carriers have received significant attention due to their biocompatibility, mechanical strength, controlled drug release, and biodegradability. Herein, an attempt was made to fabricate polycaprolactone-based electrospun nanofiber mats involving the 5-fluorouracil (5Fu) drug, MgO nanoparticle, methyl cellulose, and polyethylene glycol. The chemical interactions, surface wettability, mechanical properties, structural and morphological changes, and thermal stability were studied by the respective analyses. The ionic interaction between 5Fu, MgO, and polymers were found to be responsible for the controlled drug release. Zero-order kinetic and model data also revealed that a controlled drug release pattern was observed in a period of 16 days. Furthermore, the nanofiber mats were subjected to cytotoxicity studies against MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line and the results showed higher cytotoxicity in a short time of 24 h and less toxicity to normal L929 fibroblast cell line. The apoptosis in cancer cell lines was also tested by AO/PI staining assay and confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. In addition, the growth inhibition of several bacterial and fungal strains was tested for the mats and the results exhibited good inhibition activity. Hence, the reported nanofiber drug carrier was found to be an efficient implant for the controlled release of anticancer drug along with other significant properties.

Development and Evaluation of a Novel Methotrexate-Loaded Electrospun Patch to Alleviate Psoriasis Plaques

OBJECTIVE

To achieve an effective topical formulation of Methotrexate (MTX) as a first-line treatment of psoriasis, we formulated three MTX-loaded electrospun nanofibrous patches composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), Eudragit L100, and a mixture of them.

SIGNIFICANCE

Topical delivery of MTX provides an appropriate therapeutic performance while circumventing the life-threatening side effects of systemic administration.

METHODS

Three MTX-loaded electrospun nanofibrous patches were prepared and characterized in terms of size and morphology (using SEM), thermal behavior (by TGA and DSC), and crystalline structure (using XRD). Furthermore, the wettability and mechanical strength of samples were investigated through water contact angle and tensile strength tests. Also, the encapsulation efficiency of MTX was calculated. Subsequently, in vitro drug release profile of each formulation was obtained and different kinetic models were fitted to achieve the best-matched model. Accordingly, the ex vivo skin permeation of MTX was studied for the optimum formulation.

RESULTS

All samples showed appropriate morphology, thermal behavior, and encapsulation efficiency. Also, XRD results showed that MTX is dispersed within the polymeric matrices in the amorphous state (with no crystalline region). Release studies demonstrated that MTX-loaded Eudragit L100-PCL formulation outperformed in terms of mechanical behavior and in vitro drug release. This formulation also exhibited better skin permeation.

CONCLUSION

The obtained controlled-release MTX-loaded electrospun patches seem promising to provide a long-acting topical treatment of psoriatic plaques with minimized systemic side effects.

Ibuprofen-Loaded Electrospun PCL/PEG Nanofibrous Membranes for Preventing Postoperative Abdominal Adhesion

Electrospun nanofibrous membranes are a widely used physical barrier for reducing postoperative adhesion. However, these physical barriers could not prevent adhesion formation completely. Because a high-intensity inflammation occurs in the surgical area, the presence of relevant drugs to control such an inflammation is desperately needed. In this study, we fabricated an electrospun composite ibuprofen-loaded poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)/polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous membrane (NFM) to prevent abdominal adhesions. This membrane aimed to act as a barrier between the abdominal wall and surrounding tissues, without interrupting mass transfer and normal wound healing. Among various fabricated composite NFMs, PCL/25PEG-6% NFMs showed the lowest fiber diameter (448.8 ± 124.4 nm), the smallest pore size (<2 μm), and moderate ultimate stress and strain. The PCL/25PEG-6% NFMs had the lowest water contact angle (≈75°) and the highest drug profile release (≈80%) within 14 days. Furthermore, in vitro toxicity examination of PCL/25PEG-6% toward fibroblast cells demonstrated a cell viability of ≈82% after 3 days, proving its prolonged antiadhesion ability. In addition, the low number of adherent cells with a rounded shape and low cell proliferation on these NFMs indicated their special antiadhesive effects. Collectively, these results indicated that the PCL/25PEG-6% membrane might be a suitable barrier to prevent abdominal adhesion.

Electrospun Hybrid Films for Fast and Convenient Delivery of Active Herb Extracts

Herb medicines are popular for safe application due to being a source of natural herbs. However, how to deliver them in an efficacious and convenient manner poses a big challenge to researchers. In this study, a new concept is demonstrated that the electrospun polymer-based hybrid films can be a platform for promoting the delivery of a mixture of active herb extract, i.e., Lianhua Qingwen Keli (LQK), also a commercial traditional Chinese patent medicine. The LQK can be co-dissolved with the filament-forming polymeric polyvinylpyrrolidone K60 and a sweeter sucralose to prepare an electrospinnable solution. A handheld electrospinning apparatus was explored to transfer the solution into solid nanofibers, i.e., the LQK-loaded medicated films. These films were demonstrated to be composed of linear nanofibers. A puncher was utilized to transfer the mat into circular membrane a diameter of 15 mm. Two self-created methods were developed for disclosing the dissolution performances of the electrospun mats. Both the water droplet experiments and the wet paper (mimic tongue) experiments verified that the hybrid films can rapidly disintegrate when they encounter water and release the loaded LQK in an immediate manner. Based on the reasonable selections of polymeric excipients, the present protocols pave a way for delivering many types of active herb extracts in an effective and convenient manner.

Drug Delivery Systems for Photodynamic Therapy: The Potentiality and Versatility of Electrospun Nanofibers

Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become a promising approach for the treatment of a broad range of diseases, including oncological and infectious diseases. This minimally invasive and localized therapy is based on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) able to destroy cancer cells and inactivate pathogens by combining the use of photosensitizers (PSs), light and molecular oxygen. To overcome the drawbacks of drug systemic administration, drug delivery systems (DDS) can be used to carrier the PSs, allowing higher therapeutic efficacy and minimal toxicological effects. Polymeric nanofibers produced by electrospinning emerged as powerful platforms for drug delivery applications. Electrospun nanofibers exhibit outstanding characteristics, such as large surface area to volume ratio associated with high drug loading, high porosity, flexibility, ability to incorporate and release a wide variety of therapeutic agents, biocompatibility and biodegradability. Due to the versatility of this technique, fibers with different morphologies and functionalities, including drug release profile can be produced. The possibility of scalability makes electrospinning even more attractive for the development of DDS. This review aims to explore and show an up to date of the huge potential of electrospun nanofibers as DDS for different PDT applications and discuss the opportunities and challenges in this field. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Electrospun Structural Hybrids of Acyclovir-Polyacrylonitrile at Acyclovir for Modifying Drug Release

In traditional pharmaceutics, drug–crystalline nanoparticles and drug–polymer composites are frequently explored for their ability to modify drug release profiles. In this study, a novel sort of hybrid with a coating of acyclovir crystalline nanoparticles on acyclovir-polyacrylonitrile composites was fabricated using modified, coaxial electrospinning processes. The developed acyclovir-polyacrylonitrile at the acyclovir nanohybrids was loaded with various amounts of acyclovir, which could be realized simply by adjusting the sheath fluid flow rates. Compared with the electrospun composite nanofibers from a single-fluid blending process, the nanohybrids showed advantages of modifying the acyclovir release profiles in the following aspects: (1) the initial release amount was more accurately and intentionally controlled; (2) the later sustained release was nearer to a zero-order kinetic process; and (3) the release amounts at different stages could be easily allocated by the sheath fluid flow rate. X-ray diffraction results verified that the acyclovir nanoparticles were in a crystalline state, and Fourier-transform infrared spectra verified that the drug acyclovir and the polymer polyacrylonitrile had a good compatibility. The protocols reported here could pave the way for developing new types of functional nanostructures.