Triclosan loaded electrospun nanofibers based on a cyclodextrin polymer and chitosan polyelectrolyte complex

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Antimicrobial Materials

Background:

• Development of advanced drug delivery systems for effective antimicrobial therapy.
• Chitosan (CHT) and cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives are explored for their biocompatibility and drug complexation properties.
• Triclosan (TCL) is a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent requiring controlled release mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize antibacterial nanofibers based on a chitosan/hydroxypropyl betacyclodextrin-citric acid polymer (PCD) polyelectrolyte complex.
• To evaluate the triclosan (TCL) release kinetics and antibacterial efficacy of the developed nanofibers.
• To investigate the influence of the polyelectrolyte complex on nanofiber stability and drug release.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of nanofibers via electrospinning of chitosan (CHT) and a hydroxypropyl betacyclodextrin (CD)-citric acid polymer (PCD) complex loaded with triclosan (TCL).
• Characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD).
• Assessment of nanofiber stability, swelling behavior, TCL release in dynamic conditions (USP IV), cytocompatibility, and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Main Results:

• Nanofibers exhibited pH and CHT:PCD weight ratio-dependent stability and swelling.
• A high PCD content and thermal post-treatment were crucial for nanofiber stability at pH 5.5.
• CHT-PCD based nanofibers demonstrated prolonged TCL release with reduced burst effect and sustained antibacterial activity compared to CHT-CD controls.

Conclusions:

• The polyelectrolyte complex formation between CHT and PCD enhances nanofiber stability and controls TCL release.
• These CHT-PCD/TCL nanofibers offer a promising platform for prolonged antibacterial activity.
• The study highlights the potential of polyelectrolyte complexes in designing advanced drug delivery systems.