Electrospun tetracycline hydrochloride loaded zein/gum tragacanth/poly lactic acid nanofibers for biomedical application

Newly, fabrication of scaffolds along with the therapeutic agent of tetracycline hydrochloride for application in wound healing and anti-inflammatory effect could interest consideration. In this work, we developed a novel drug delivery mat composed of gum tragacanth (GT), zein, poly lactic acid (PLA) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) (zein/GT/PLA/TCH) in different blending ratios of zein/GT. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of mats showed interconnected pores with beadles nanofibers. The results of SEM showed that by increasing the ratio of zein/GT, the average diameter of nanofibers increased from 253.22 ± 15.36 to 547.78 ± 56.48 nm for the ratios of 80:20 and 90:10, respectively. Moreover, the successful loading of TCH and was approved by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). By addition of TCH and increasing the GT content to the developed nanofibrous mats, the tensile strength, swelling degree and porosity of zein/GT/PLA/TCH nanofibers increased. Furthermore, this scaffold also displayed appropriate antibacterial properties and suitable degradability for skin tissue engineering. The results of cytocompatibility and SEM micrographs proved that zein/GT/PLA/TCH scaffold had promising proliferation and adhesion against NIH-3 T3 fibroblast cell.

Keywords: Nanofibrous scaffold; Tetracycline hydrochloride; Wound healing.