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Curcumin-encapsulated Pluronic micelles in chitosan/PEO nanofibers: a controlled release strategy for wound healing applications

  • Zahra Kharat , Maliheh Azarnia , Parviz Rashidi Ranjbar EMAIL logo and Mahboubeh Kabiri EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: January 28, 2025
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Journal of Polymer Engineering
From the journal Journal of Polymer Engineering Volume 45 Issue 3

Abstract

Chitosan-based nanofibers loaded with therapeutic agents are promising for wound treatment but loading hydrophobic compounds remains challenging. To address the limitations of curcumin incorporation in chitosan/polyethylene oxide (CS/PEO) nanofibers, we developed a novel Pluronic-based micelle to encapsulate curcumin, followed by the incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as an antibacterial agent to improve the performance of the wound dressings’ materials. We successfully fabricated CS/PEO scaffolds via electrospinning, incorporating curcumin-loaded micelles and synthesized ZnO-NPs. Comprehensive morphology characterization was performed using SEM, and the presence of ZnO-NPs and curcumin was verified by EDX and FT-IR spectroscopy. The developed nanofibers showed a slower release profile, with approximately 80 % of curcumin released into the aqueous medium within 24 h and appearing to progress to a steady state by five days. Notably, the nanofiber mats exhibited antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and supported fibroblast proliferation and attachment, indicating excellent biocompatibility. These findings suggest that the developed nanofiber scaffold, characterized by its controlled drug release, potent antibacterial properties, and biocompatibility, holds promise as an advanced wound dressing material.

Keywords: polymer-curcumin micelle; ZnO nanoparticle; wound dressing; electrospinning
Corresponding authors: Parviz Rashidi Ranjbar, School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14155-6455, Iran, E-mail: ; and Mahboubeh Kabiri, Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14155-6455, Iran, E-mail:

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: Z.K. and M.A. did experiments and wrote the manuscript. M.K. and P.R. were supervisors and edited the manuscript. All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: Not applicable.

  5. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

  6. Research funding: None declared.

  7. Data availability: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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Supplementary Material

This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/polyeng-2024-0182).

Received: 2024-09-09
Accepted: 2024-12-21
Published Online: 2025-01-28
Published in Print: 2025-03-26

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Material Properties
  3. The latest research status of porous sound-absorbing materials
  4. Thermal annealing and microwave irradiation in enhancing the mechanical performance of 3D printing CF/PA12 composite
  5. Investigation into the crystallization of poly-lactic acid following the application of a novel high molecular weight, high epoxy functionality polymer chain extender
  6. Effect of AO 4426 on damping properties of PVA/CPE-AO 2246
  7. Preparation and Assembly
  8. Curcumin-encapsulated Pluronic micelles in chitosan/PEO nanofibers: a controlled release strategy for wound healing applications
  9. Photocatalytic g-C3N4/poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) composite hydrogel triggering the synergetic effect for long-lasting sustainable purifying organic wastewater
  10. Engineering and Processing
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https://doi.org/10.1515/polyeng-2024-0182
Keywords for this article
polymer-curcumin micelle; ZnO nanoparticle; wound dressing; electrospinning

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Material Properties
  3. The latest research status of porous sound-absorbing materials
  4. Thermal annealing and microwave irradiation in enhancing the mechanical performance of 3D printing CF/PA12 composite
  5. Investigation into the crystallization of poly-lactic acid following the application of a novel high molecular weight, high epoxy functionality polymer chain extender
  6. Effect of AO 4426 on damping properties of PVA/CPE-AO 2246
  7. Preparation and Assembly
  8. Curcumin-encapsulated Pluronic micelles in chitosan/PEO nanofibers: a controlled release strategy for wound healing applications
  9. Photocatalytic g-C3N4/poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) composite hydrogel triggering the synergetic effect for long-lasting sustainable purifying organic wastewater
  10. Engineering and Processing
  11. A dynamic pressure strategy to minimize void formation in vacuum infusion
  12. Design and application of soft robot grippers using low-viscosity silicone by lost core injection molding manufacturing method
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