Electrospun core-shell PLLA nanofiber and its potential for drug release

摘要

Electrospinning has been developed to fabricate composite nanofibers for biomedical applications such as drug delivery systems and tissue engineering scaffolds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical-chemical properties and drug release properties of electrospun core-shell poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) fibrous membranes used as a controlled release carriers for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The fibrous membranes were fabricated by coaxial electrospinning in which PLLA (2:1 mixture of chloroform and acetone by weight as a solvent) and TCH/PLLA (2:1 mixture of methanol and chloroform by weight as a solvent) were used as the shell and the core materials, respectively. The electrospun fibers and their membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), whereas the mechanical performances of fibrous membranes were tested through tensile test. The drug release behavior were investigated by UV-VIS spectroscopy. Results indicated that the morphology of fibers and distribution of fiber diameter relied on the processing parameters, and the uniform composite fibers with eminent mechanical properties could be obtained when the core and shell solution concentrations were kept at 5 wt% (0.3 ml.h-1 flow rate) and 8-10 wt% (5.0 ml.h-1 flow rate), respectively. TCH could be encapsulated in the PLLA ultrafine fibers and maintain a sustaining release from the fibrous membranes, suggesting that the thus obtained core-shell composite fibrous membranes can be a promising candidate for drug release carrier.