A hyperbranched polyester as antinucleating agent for Artemisinin in electrospun nanofibers

• Hyperbranched poly(butylene adipate) acts as a powerful antinucleating agent.
• Electrospinning is an effective method to obtain regular shaped core–shell fibers.
• Electrospun nanofibers effectively preserve pharmacological activity of Artemisinin.

The paper deals with the development of an antinucleating strategy to prevent the crystallization of Artemisinin (ART), a potent natural antimalarial agent, through its encapsulation into core–shell nanofibers, constituted by a core of ART blended with a hyperbranched poly(butylene adipate) (HB), covered with a shell of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). The highly branched polymer acted as an effective antinucleating agent. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy analyses evidenced the regular and homogenous morphology of the core–shell electrospun nanofibers. Attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analysis were utilized to assess the activity and the physical state of ART into the nanofibers. It was demonstrated that ART was successfully encapsulated in electrospun nanofibers and could efficiently retain its amorphous state.

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