Integrated Janus nanofibers enabled by a co-shell solvent for enhancing icariin delivery efficiency

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Nanostructures are crucial for developing advanced nano drug delivery systems.
• Janus nanostructures, with their distinct compartments, offer unique advantages for drug encapsulation and release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel tri-channel spinneret for fabricating Janus nanostructures.
• To investigate the encapsulation and release characteristics of a poorly water-soluble drug (icariin) within these Janus nanostructures.
• To evaluate the in vitro and ex vivo performance of the developed nano drug delivery system.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Janus nanostructures using a custom-designed tri-channel spinneret and tri-fluid electrospinning.
• Characterization of nanostructures using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Analysis of drug state using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction (XRD).
• In vitro dissolution and ex vivo permeation studies of encapsulated icariin.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated linear Janus nanofibers with two distinct compartments.
• Verified amorphous state of icariin within nanofibers due to interactions with hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).
• Achieved complete icariin release in 5 minutes (11x faster than raw drug).
• Demonstrated a 16.2x higher permeation rate of icariin compared to drug powders.

Conclusions:

• The developed tri-channel electrospinning method is effective for creating Janus nanostructures for drug delivery.
• Janus nanostructures significantly enhance the dissolution and permeation of poorly water-soluble drugs.
• This platform holds promise for developing novel nano drug delivery systems for various poorly soluble compounds.