Electrospun polyvinyl-alcohol nanofibers as oral fast-dissolving delivery system of caffeine and riboflavin

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2013 Mar 1:103:182-8. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2012.10.016. Epub 2012 Oct 17.

Abstract

Fast-dissolving drug delivery systems were prepared by electrospinning using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the filament-forming polymer and drug carrier. Caffeine and riboflavin were used as the model drugs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction were applied to investigate the physicochemical properties of electrospun nanofibers. The SEM images showed that nanofibers prepared from electrospinning PVA/drug aqueous solutions possessed an ultrafine morphology with an average diameter in the range of 260-370 nm. Pharmacotechnical tests showed that PVA/caffeine and PVA/riboflavin nanofibrous mats had almost the same dissolution time (about 1.5 s) and wetting time (about 4.5 s). The release measurements indicated that drugs can be released in a burst manner (caffeine to an extent of 100% and riboflavin to an extent of 40% within 60 s) from the PVA nanofibrous matrices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Caffeine / administration & dosage*
  • Caffeine / pharmacology*
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Nanofibers / ultrastructure
  • Polyvinyl Alcohol / chemistry*
  • Riboflavin / administration & dosage*
  • Riboflavin / pharmacology*
  • Solubility
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Time Factors
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Caffeine
  • Polyvinyl Alcohol
  • Riboflavin