Fabrication and characterization of starch/polycaprolactone nanofibers loaded with tranexamic acid as a hemostatic...

Uncontrolled hemorrhage remains one of the most critical clinical challenges in trauma, surgery, and minimally invasive dental procedures, highlighting the need for advanced hemostatic biomaterials that integrate rapid coagulation, bioactivity, and structural stability. In this study, electrospun PCL/Starch nanofibrous scaffolds loaded with tranexamic acid (TXA) were developed as a multifunctional hemostatic platform, wherein three complementary components are synergistically integrated at the nanoscale: starch as a bioactive, hydrophilic polymer that enhances blood uptake and promotes platelet adhesion; TXA as a potent antifibrinolytic agent that stabilizes fibrin networks and prevents premature clot degradation; and PCL as a mechanically robust polymer that ensures structural integrity during clinical application. While prior TXA-loaded electrospun systems have predominantly relied on chitosan- or PVA-based matrices, these approaches are associated with batch-to-batch variability, elevated cost, and frequent requirement for chemical crosslinking. In contrast, starch is a naturally abundant, low-cost, and fully biodegradable polysaccharide with an intrinsic hemostatic capacity: its high water absorption and porous structure accelerate blood coagulation by concentrating platelets, red blood cells, and coagulation factors at the injury site, thereby activating the coagulation cascade independently of exogenous drug loading. To the best of our knowledge, based on an extensive review of the available literature, this study represents the first systematic investigation of TXA-loaded PCL/Starch electrospun nanofibers for hemostatic applications, addressing a clear and unmet gap in the field: the absence of a multifunctional scaffold that integrates rapid coagulation induction, fibrinolysis inhibition, and structural stability within a single, scalable, and cost-effective fabrication approach.