PVA nanofibers: electrospinning techniques and pharmaceutical applications

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers are emerging as aqueous-processable, biocompatible platforms for drug delivery, wound care, and tissue engineering. This review synthesizes advances in electrohydrodynamic fabrication - including classic single-fluid spinning and its melt, coaxial, emulsion, air-blown, and multilayer variants - and maps how solution properties and processing parameters translate into fiber morphology, stability, and performance. We highlight formulation strategies (chemical/physical crosslinking, blending, and compartmentalized core - sheath or multilayer architectures) that leverage PVA's hydrophilicity to yield tunable water-responsiveness and release kinetics for small molecules, biologics, and combination products. On the application side, we summarize evidence across oral, transdermal, pulmonary, and transmucosal delivery, as well as scaffold-guided regeneration and device coatings. Persistent bottlenecks are also reviewed: spinneret clogging, morphology control, rapid aqueous dissolution, and low per-nozzle throughput; we outline industrialization pathways - needleless/free-surface, multi-jet, centrifugal (forcespinning), and roll-to-roll lines - that can raise productivity while improving uniformity and safety. Finally, we discuss translation: the current lack of inhalation-route excipient approval for PVA, route-specific toxicology requirements, and drug - device co-development considerations, alongside market signals and the need for GMP-ready, scalable processes. We conclude that PVA nanofibers offer a versatile, regulation-conscious platform whose progress will hinge on scalable manufacturing, durability under wet use, and rigorous, application-relevant characterization.