Poly(Ε-Caprolactone) (PCL) Nanofibers as a Potent Platform for Co-Delivery of Vancomycin and Curcumin: Drug Release Profiling and Biophysically In-Vitro Investigating

Recently, researchers have increasingly considered electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds for drug delivery systems due to their ability to control the release of various drugs and natural compounds. In our study, we utilized the uniaxial electrospinning technique to create nanofibrous scaffolds using polycaprolactone (PCL). Subsequently, curcumin (Cur) and vancomycin (Vn) were individually and synergically loaded into the electrospun PCL nanofibers (NFs). The nanofibrous scaffolds were meticulously characterized utilizing a comprehensive array of analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphological assessment, porosity evaluation for structural analysis, tensile strength measurements to gauge mechanical properties, and investigations into water vapor permeability, swelling kinetics, and degradation rates to assess performance and stability. Additionally, the release profiles of Cur and Vn were analyzed using spectrophotometry. Upon seeding HFF-2 cells on the fabricated scaffolds, we performed cytotoxicity and cytoprotective assessments using the MTT assay. Furthermore, the morphology of the cells on the scaffolds was investigated through SEM micrographs. The obtained results indicated that the fiber diameter for PCL, PCL/Cur, PCL/Vn, and PCL/ Vn-Cur was 204 ± 52, 218 ± 63, 227 ± 74, and 238 ± 72, respectively. The MTT assay confirmed that all nanofiber groups were non-toxic and biocompatible. Notably, PCL/Cur and PCL/Vn-Cur demonstrated increased cell viability and proliferation of human foreskin fibroblast (HFF-2) cells. The cytocompatibility study of Cur and Vn loaded nanofibers (NFs) revealed a synergistic effect, leading to enhanced relative cell viability when exposing HFF-2 cells to H₂O₂, an oxidant compound. SEM imaging provided additional evidence of the favorable cell adhesion on the nanofibrous scaffolds, corroborating the results obtained from the MTT assay. This observation underscores the efficacy of the Vn-Cur-loaded NFs in promoting cell attachment and proliferation, highlighting their potential for tissue engineering and wound healing applications.