Electrospun cellulose acetate/poly(lactic acid) hybrid fibers for tunable sustained release of ibuprofen
摘要
Precise modulation of drug release profiles from fibrous carriers remains a significant challengein sustained-release formulations. Herein, we present a novel and tunable drug delivery system based on electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) hybrid fibers. Herein, CA/PLA composite fibers were designed and fabricated via electrospinning, and their potential as a drug delivery platform was evaluated. By varying the electrospinning solution concentration from 6% to 14%, smooth and uniform fibers with controlled mean diameters (0.59–1.92 μm) were successfully prepared. Meanwhile, the swelling properties and surface wettability of the fibers were effectively modulated by adjusting the CA/PLA ratio (30–70% PLA). Ibuprofen, used as a model drug, was uniformly encapsulated within the fiber matrices with drug encapsulation efficiency (> 93%). In vitro release studies demonstrated that the ibuprofen release rate decreased with increasing fiber diameter and PLA content, and exhibited pH-dependent behavior. The drug release profiles exhibited excellent fit to the Ritger-Peppas model, indicating a Fickian diffusion mechanism. Furthermore, strong correlations were established between drug release half-lives and key fiber parameters (diameter and PLA content). This work presents a simple yet effective strategy for tailoring drug release kinetics, highlighting the significant potential of CA/PLA composite fibers for advanced fibrous sustained-release drug delivery systems.