Dual-drug encapsulation and release from core-shell nanofibers

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Tissue engineering scaffolds and drug delivery carriers require controlled release of multiple therapeutic agents.
• Developing systems for simultaneous delivery of drugs and proteins presents significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a novel tissue-engineering scaffold and drug-delivery carrier capable of encapsulating and controlling the release of dual drugs.
• To investigate the influence of drug loading location on release kinetics in electrospun nanofibers.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of Rhodamine B (dye) and bovine serum albumin (BSA, protein) into nanofibers via blending or coaxial electrospinning.
• Morphological characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
• Structural analysis using X-ray diffraction and in vitro drug release studies.

Main Results:

• Successful incorporation of Rhodamine B and BSA into nanofibers.
• Demonstrated that the location of drug/protein incorporation (core vs. shell) in coaxial electrospinning significantly impacts release profiles.
• X-ray diffraction confirmed the structure of the composite nanofibrous mats.

Conclusions:

• The coaxial electrospinning process allows for controlled drug and protein release profiles by manipulating the internal structure of nanofibers.
• This technology holds significant promise for applications in tissue regeneration, combination therapies, and cancer treatment.