Novel poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin wound dressings prepared by emulsion electrospinning with controlled release capacity of Ketoprofen anti-inflammatory drug

- Comparative drug release mechanisms of electrospun PCL and emulsion (O/W) PCL/gelatin fibers were introduced to literature.
- Anti-inflammatory drug, Ketoprofen was used in release studies.
- Chemical and mechanical changes were examined by various characterization methods.
- Biocompatibility of the electrospun materials was studied with L929 fibroblast cells by cell culture experiments.
- Optimum solution, electrospinning, crosslinking parameters were determined.
- Electrospun emulsion (O/W) PCL/gelatin fibers showed better biocompatibility as well as better sustained release mechanism.

In the present study, a single and binary Ketoprofen-loaded mats of ultrathin fibers were developed by electrospinning and their physical properties and drug release capacity was analyzed. The single mat was prepared by solution electrospinning of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with Ketoprofen at a weight ratio of 5 wt%. This Ketoprofen-containing PCL solution was also used as the oil phase in a 7:3 (wt/wt) emulsion with gelatin dissolved in acidified water. The resultant stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion of PCL-in-gelatin, also containing Ketoprofen at 5 wt%, was electrospun to produce the binary mat. Cross-linking process was performed by means of glutaraldehyde vapor on the electrospun binary mat to prevent dissolution of the hydrophilic gelatin phase. The performed characterization indicated that Ketoprofen was successfully embedded in the single and binary electrospun mats, i.e. PCL and PCL/gelatin, and both mats showed high hydrophobicity but poor thermal resistance. In vitro release studies interestingly revealed that, in comparison to the single PCL electrospun mat, the binary PCL/gelatin mat significantly hindered Ketoprofen burst release and exhibited a sustained release capacity of the drug for up to 4 days. In addition, the electrospun Ketoprofen-loaded mats showed enhanced attachment and proliferation of L929 mouse fibroblast cells, presenting the binary mat the highest cell growth yield due to its improved porosity. The here-developed electrospun materials clearly show a great deal of potential as novel wound dressings with an outstanding controlled capacity to release drugs.

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