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It is anticipated that the combination of biomolecules and electrospinning will provide potential useful solutions for these issues, and thus strengthen the drug delivery applications of biomolecule-based nano products. Drug delivery often involves the reasonable selection of drug carriers and additives, which are expected to safely escort the drug molecules to the lesion site (the right section of Figure 1). In general, DDSs composed of electrospun biomolecule-based nanofibers can be those: (1) containing pharmaceutical active biomolecules (both small biomolecules and biomacromolecules) as the guest ingredients, which are very common in developing medicated nanofibers; (2) containing inert biomacromolecules as the matrices to load drugs; (3) containing inert small molecules as drug carriers or additives in electrospun nanofibers for a better drug delivery effect. Drug delivery, mainly a professional term in pharmaceutics, is a field of interdisciplinary intersection and integration [[1], [3]]. [Extracted from the article]

In this nano era, nanomaterials and nanostructures are popular in developing novel functional materials. However, the combinations of materials at micro and macro scales can open new routes for developing novel trans-scale products with improved or even new functional performances. In this work, a brand-new hybrid, containing both nanofibers and microparticles, was fabricated using a sequential electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) process. Firstly, the microparticles loaded with drug (berberine hydrochloride, BH) molecules in the cellulose acetate (CA) were fabricated using a solution electrospraying process. Later, these microparticles were suspended into a co-dissolved solution that contained BH and a hydrophilic polymer (polypyrrolidone, PVP) and were co-electrospun into the nanofiber/microparticle hybrids. The EHDA processes were recorded, and the resultant trans-scale products showed a typical hybrid topography, with microparticles distributed all over the nanofibers, which was demonstrated by SEM assessments. FTIR and XRD demonstrated that the components within the hybrids were presented in an amorphous state and had fine compatibility with each other. In vitro dissolution tests verified that the hybrids were able to provide the designed dual-step drug release profiles, a combination of the fast release step of BH from the hydrophilic PVP nanofibers through an erosion mechanism and the sustained release step of BH from the insoluble CA microparticles via a typical Fickian diffusion mechanism. The present protocols pave a new way for developing trans-scale functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbal medicine has a long history of medical efficacy with low toxicity, side effects and good biocompatibility. However, the bioavailability of the extract of raw herbs and bioactive compounds is poor because of their low water solubility. In order to overcome the solubility issues, electrospinning technology can offer a delivery alternative to resolve them. The electrospun fibers have the advantages of high specific surface area, high porosity, excellent mechanical strength and flexible structures. At the same time, various natural and synthetic polymer-bound fibers can mimic extracellular matrix applications in different medical fields. In this paper, the development of electrospinning technology and polymers used for incorporating herbal medicine into electrospun nanofibers are reviewed. Finally, the recent progress of the applications of these herbal medicine nanofibers in biomedical (drug delivery, wound dressing, tissue engineering) and food fields along with their future prospects is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic diabetic wounds are one of the main complications of diabetes, manifested by persistent inflammation, decreased epithelialization motility, and impaired wound healing. This will not only lead to the repeated hospitalization of patients, but also bear expensive hospitalization costs. In severe cases, it can lead to amputation, sepsis or death. Electrospun nanofibers membranes have the characteristics of high porosity, high specific surface area, and easy functionalization of structure, so they can be used as a safe and effective platform in the treatment of diabetic wounds and have great application potential. This article briefly reviewed the pathogenesis of chronic diabetic wounds and the types of dressings commonly used, and then reviewed the development of electrospinning technology in recent years and the advantages of electrospun nanofibers in the treatment of diabetic wounds. Finally, the reports of different types of nanofiber dressings on diabetic wounds are summarized, and the method of using multi-drug combination therapy in diabetic wounds is emphasized, which provides new ideas for the effective treatment of diabetic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral ulcers affect oral and systemic health and have high prevalence in the population. There are significant individual differences in the etiology and extent of the disease among patients. In the treatment of oral ulcers, nanofiber films can control the drug-release rate and enable long-term local administration. Compared to other drug-delivery methods, nanofiber films avoid the disadvantages of frequent administration and certain side effects. Electrospinning is a simple and effective method for preparing nanofiber films. Currently, electrospinning technology has made significant breakthroughs in energy-saving and large-scale production. This paper summarizes the polymers that enable oral mucosal adhesion and the active pharmaceutical ingredients used for oral ulcers. Moreover, the therapeutic effects of currently available electrospun nanofiber films on oral ulcers in animal experiments and clinical trials are investigated. In addition, solvent casting and cross-linking methods can be used in conjunction with electrospinning techniques. Based on the literature, more administration systems with different polymers and loading components can be inspired. These administration systems are expected to have synergistic effects and achieve better therapeutic effects. This not only provides new possibilities for drug-loaded nanofibers but also brings new hope for the treatment of oral ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to develop a novel ultrathin fibrous membrane with a core-sheath structure as antibacterial food packaging film. Coaxial electrospinning was exploited to create the core-sheath structure, by which the delivery regulation of the active substance was achieved. Resveratrol (RE) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were loaded into electrospun zein/polyethylene oxide ultrathin fibers to ensure a synergistic antibacterial performance. Under the assessments of a scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, the ultrathin fiber was demonstrated to have a fine linear morphology, smooth surface and obvious core-sheath structure. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared analyses showed that RE and AgNPs coexisted in the ultrathin fibers and had good compatibility with the polymeric matrices. The water contact angle experiments were conducted to evaluate the hydrophilicity and hygroscopicity of the fibers. In vitro dissolution tests revealed that RE was released in a sustained manner. In the antibacterial experiments against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the diameters of the inhibition zone of the fiber were 8.89 ± 0.09 mm and 7.26 ± 0.10 mm, respectively. Finally, cherry tomatoes were selected as the packaging object and packed with fiber films. In a practical application, the fiber films effectively reduced the bacteria and decreased the quality loss of cherry tomatoes, thereby prolonging the fresh-keeping period of cherry tomatoes to 12 days. Following the protocols reported here, many new food packaging films can be similarly developed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timely and effective control and repair of wound bleeding is a key research issue all over the world. From traditional compression hemostasis to a variety of new hemostatic methods, people have a more comprehensive understanding of the hemostatic mechanism and the structure and function of different types of wound dressings. Electrospun nanofibers stand out with nano size, high specific surface area, higher porosity, and a variety of complex structures. They are high-quality materials that can effectively promote wound hemostasis and wound healing because they can imitate the structural characteristics of the skin extracellular matrix (ECM) and support cell adhesion and angiogenesis. At the same time, combined with amino acid polymers with good biocompatibility not only has high compatibility with the human body but can also be combined with a variety of drugs to further improve the effect of wound hemostatic dressing. This paper summarizes the application of different amino acid electrospun wound dressings, analyzes the characteristics of different materials in preparation and application, and looks forward to the development of directions of poly(amino acid) electrospun dressings in hemostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(α-L-glutamic acid) (PGA) is a class of synthetic polypeptides composed of the monomeric unit α-L-glutamic acid. Owing to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-immunogenicity, PGA-based nanomaterials have been elaborately designed for drug delivery systems. Relevant studies including the latest research results on PGA-based nanomaterials for drug delivery have been discussed in this work. The following related topics are summarized as: (1) a brief description of the synthetic strategies of PGAs; (2) an elaborated presentation of the evolving applications of PGA in the areas of drug delivery, including the rational design, precise fabrication, and biological evaluation; (3) a profound discussion on the further development of PGA-based nanomaterials in drug delivery. In summary, the unique structures and superior properties enables PGA-based nanomaterials to represent as an enormous potential in biomaterials-related drug delivery areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both finding new types of biomolecules, and a reasonable selection of the starting biomolecules for preparing biomolecule-based functional materials, are important. A most recent trend for constructing new biomolecules of biomolecule-based composites is to the combination of organic and inorganic elements. The present issue "Biomolecule-based composites, hybrids and nanostructures for biomedical applications" is just centered around these elements and thus seven excellent publications have been selected for publication. Biomolecules, as molecules which have a bio-source or a certain bioapplication, are at present quickening the marching speed for benefiting people's life and social progress. [Extracted from the article]

The sustained release of a water-soluble drug is always a key and important issue in pharmaceutics. In this study, using cellulose acetate (CA) as a biomacromolecular matrix, core-sheath nanofibers were developed for providing a sustained release of a model drug—metformin hydrochloride (MET). The core–sheath nanofibers were fabricated using modified tri-axial electrospinning, in which a detachable homemade spinneret was explored. A process—nanostructure–performance relationship was demonstrated through a series of characterizations. The prepared nanofibers F2 could release 95% of the loaded MET through a time period of 23.4 h and had no initial burst effect. The successful sustained release performances of MET can be attributed to the following factors: (1) the reasonable application of insoluble CA as the filament-forming carrier, which determined that the drug was released through a diffusion manner; (2) the core–sheath nanostructure provided the possibility of both encapsulating the drug completely and realizing the heterogeneous distributions of MET in the nanofibers with a higher drug load core than the sheath; (3) the thickness of the sheath sections were able to be exploited for further manipulating a better drug extended release performance. The mechanisms for manipulating the drug sustained release behaviors are proposed. The present proof-of-concept protocols can pave a new way to develop many novel biomolecule-based nanostructures for extending the release of water-soluble drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A side-by-side electrospinning process characterized by a home-made eccentric spinneret was established to produce the Janus beads-on-a-string products. In this study, ketoprofen (KET) and methylene blue (MB) were used as model drugs, which loaded in Janus beads-on-a-string products, in which polyvinylpyrrolidone K90 (PVP K90) and ethyl cellulose (EC) were exploited as the polymer matrices. From SEM images, distinct nanofibers and microparticles in the Janus beads-on-a-string structures could be observed clearly. X-ray diffraction demonstrated that all crystalline drugs loaded in Janus beads-on-a-string products were transferred into the amorphous state. ATR-FTIR revealed that the components of prepared Janus nanostructures were compatibility. In vitro dissolution tests showed that Janus beads-on-a-string products could provide typical double drugs controlled-release profiles, which provided a faster immediate release of MB and a slower sustained release of KET than the electrospun Janus nanofibers. Drug releases from the Janus beads-on-a-string products were controlled through a combination of erosion mechanism (linear MB-PVP sides) and a typical Fickian diffusion mechanism (bead KET-EC sides). This work developed a brand-new approach for the preparation of the Janus beads-on-a-string nanostructures using side-by-side electrospinning, and also provided a fresh idea for double drugs controlled release and the potential combined therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]