Designing a novel and versatile multi-layered nanofibrous structure loaded with MTX and 5-FU for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs

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.

TARTESSUS: A Customized Electrospun Drug Delivery System Loaded with Irinotecan for Local and Sustained Chemotherapy Release in Pancreatic Cancer

Post-surgical chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer has notorious side effects due to the high dose required. Multiple devices have been designed to tackle this aspect and achieve a delayed drug release. This study aimed to explore the controlled and sustained local delivery of a reduced drug dose from an irinotecan-loaded electrospun nanofiber membrane (named TARTESSUS) that can be placed on the patients' tissue after tumor resection surgery. The drug delivery system formulation was made of polycaprolactone (PCL). The mechanical properties and the release kinetics of the drug were adjusted by the electrospinning parameters and by the polymer ratio between 10 w.t.% and 14 w.t.% of PCL in formic acid:acetic acid:chloroform (47.5:47.5:5). The irinotecan release analysis was performed and three different release periods were obtained, depending on the concentration of the polymer in the dissolution. The TARTESSUS device was tested in 2D and 3D cell cultures and it demonstrated a decrease in cell viability in 2D culture between 72 h and day 7 from the start of treatment. In 3D culture, a decrease in viability was seen between 72 h, day 7 (p < 0.001), day 10 (p < 0.001), 14 (p < 0.001), and day 17 (p = 0.003) as well as a decrease in proliferation between 72 h and day 10 (p = 0.030) and a reduction in spheroid size during days 10 (p = 0.001), 14 (p < 0.001), and 17 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, TARTESSUS showed a successful encapsulation of a chemotherapeutic drug and a sustained and delayed release with an adjustable releasing period to optimize the therapeutic effect in pancreatic cancer treatment.

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic polymeric nanocomposites for pH-sensitive controlled release of methotrexate

As one of the well-known anticancer drugs, methotrexate (MTX) has been limited in clinical application due to its side effects on normal tissues. This study focused on the one-step hydrothermal synthesis and in vitro evaluation of Fe₃O₄/RGO-PEI as MTX carriers for targeted anticancer therapy. In which, the Fe₃O₄ provided magnetic response properties; RGO acted as a stage for Fe₃O₄ loading and improved the dispersion of Fe₃O₄; polyethylenimine (PEI) was used as a surface modifier and a storehouse for MTX. The prepared Fe₃O₄/RGO-PEI nanocomposites exhibited a suitable size, good stability and magnetic responsibility. And the MTX loading content and loading efficiency were calculated to be 26.6% and 90.5%, respectively. What's more, due to the diffusion and dissolution of PEI, the Fe₃O₄/RGO-PEI-MTX exhibited excellent pH-sensitivity, the values of MTX release rate (%) within 48 h at pH 5.8 and 4.0 were 64.3% and 87.4%, respectively. Furthermore, MTT assays in cancer cells (HepG2) and normal cells (HUVEC) demonstrated that Fe₃O₄/RGO-PEI-MTX exhibited high anticancer activity while low toxicity to normal cells, and also the Fe₃O₄/RGO-PEI composites were practically non-toxic. Thus, our results revealed that Fe₃O₄/RGO-PEI-MTX would be a competitive candidate for targeted delivery and controlled release of MTX.

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.

Carboxymethyl starch encapsulated 5-FU and DOX co-loaded layered double hydroxide for evaluation of its in vitro performance as a drug delivery agent

Achieving a new oral drug delivery system with controlled drug release behavior is valuable in cancer therapy. Therefore, for the first time, doxorubicin (DOX) and 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) were simultaneously co-loaded on the as-synthesized layered double hydroxides LDH(MgAl). The resulted system was encapsulated with carboxymethyl starch to improve its efficiency for colon cancer therapy. Several characterization techniques were used to evaluate the successful synthesis of the CMS@LDH(MgAl)@DOX,5-Fu microspheres. The scanning electron microscopy result showed that the size of prepared microspheres is about 72 μm. Additionally, the presence of one broad peak at 2θ ~ 20 of the X-ray diffraction spectrum approved its amorph nature. The drug release study showed a controlled release profile with ~22% of DOX and 29% of 5-Fu. In addition, the cell viability test outcome confirmed the sustained drug release pattern from CMS@LDH(MgAl)@DOX,5-Fu against the colon cancer cell line. The results suggest that the prepared microspheres are capable to operate as an acceptable formulation for oral co-drug delivery.

Thermosensitive Interfacial Migration of 5-FU in the Microenvironment of Pluronic Block Copolymers

Chemotherapy is one of the most important ways to treat cancer. At present, chemotherapy medicines are mainly administered by intravenous injection or oral administration. However, systemic medical care requires the dosage of high concentrations of drugs to defeat the malignant tumor growth. In recent years, the use of polymer composites for local and sustained drug release has become an important field of research to minimize side effects due to high-concentration chemotherapy drugs. Here, ¹⁹F-{¹H} heteronuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (HOESY) was used to study the micellular environment of the F-containing chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU in Pluronic F127, Pluronic L121, and F127/L121 binary blending composites. The distribution of 5-FU in micelles is related to the PEO and PPO segment length of Pluronic polymers and the environmental temperature. The drug release tests further confirm that if 5-FU medicines were loaded in the PPO segment inside the micelles, the purpose of the prolonged drug release carrier is achieved.

Electrospun meshes of poly (n-butyl cyanoacrylate) and their potential applications for drug delivery and tissue engineering

The aim of the present work was to develop novel meshes of poly (n-butyl cyanoacrylate) (PBCA) nanofibers for potential applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering taking into account the successful application of PBCA in other medical uses. Electrospinning was applied to solutions of PBCA, 10³ and 10⁶ Da. 5-fluorouracil was chosen as model drug for the delivery study because of its effectiveness against cancer, while human gingival fibroblasts (HFIB-G) to confirm the biocompatibility of drug-free PBCA meshes and their potential for tissue engineering. PBCA was able to be electrospun in a wide range of molecular weights, producing fibers free of defects with diameters between 380 nm and 6 μm. Meshes of PBCA (10⁵-10⁶ Da) showed high flexibility with Younǵs modulus and maximal tension values in the range of 0.3-1.6 MPa and 0.03-0.13 MPa respectively. Results from the drug delivery study suggested that 5-fluorouracil was homogeneously loaded into PBCA meshes. Its release was extremely slow, initially 20% in 7 days and the rest gradually (until 96 days) in physiological medium at 37 °C. HFIB-G were well attached and proliferated over PBCA nanofibers during 23 days. Results suggested that PBCA meshes serve as excellent frameworks for cell adhesion/proliferation, and for drug delivery extended periods.

A review on the applications of electrospun chitosan nanofibers for the cancer treatment

In recent years, the incidence of cancer is increasing every day due to poor quality of life (industrialization of life). Therefore, the treatment of cancer has received much attention from therapists. So far, many anticancer drugs have been used to treat cancer patents. However, the direct use of the anticancer drugs has the adverse side effects for patents and several limitations to treat process. Natural chitosan nanofibers prepared by electrospinning method have unique properties such as high surface area, high porosity, suitable mechanical properties, nontoxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, biorenewable, low immunogenicity, better clinical functionality, analogue to extracellular model, and easy production in large scale. Therefore, this bio-polymer is a very suitable case to deliver of the anti-cancer drugs to treat cancer patents. In this review summarizes the electrospinning synthesis of chitosan and its therapeutic application for the various cancer treatment.