Fast dissolving paracetamol/caffeine nanofibers prepared by electrospinning

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Oral drug delivery faces challenges for patients with swallowing difficulties.
• Fast-dissolving drug formulations improve patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy.
• Electrospinning offers a versatile technique for fabricating drug-loaded fibers for oral films.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone fibers loaded with paracetamol (PCM) and caffeine (CAF) as potential oral fast-dissolving films.
• To evaluate the physical, chemical, and performance properties of the fabricated drug-loaded fibers.
• To assess the suitability of these fibers for pediatric and geriatric patient populations.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of polyvinylpyrrolidone fibers loaded with paracetamol and caffeine via electrospinning.
• Characterization of fiber morphology, drug-polymer interactions (FTIR, molecular modeling), and physical properties (thickness, pH, folding endurance).
• Evaluation of disintegration time in simulated saliva and drug release kinetics in a dissolution test.

Main Results:

• Uniform, smooth electrospun fibers containing amorphous paracetamol and caffeine were successfully fabricated.
• Fibers exhibited appropriate properties for oral films, including suitable thickness, pH, and high folding endurance (>20).
• Fiber mats demonstrated rapid disintegration (<0.5s) and fast drug release (approx. 150s), outperforming pure drugs.

Conclusions:

• Electrospun paracetamol/caffeine fibers are excellent candidates for oral fast-dissolving films.
• This formulation offers a promising alternative for patients, particularly children and the elderly, who have difficulty swallowing conventional dosage forms.
• The study highlights the potential of electrospinning in developing advanced oral drug delivery systems.