Biphasic drug release from electrospun structures

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Biphasic release, as a special drug-modified release profile that combines immediate and sustained release, allows fast therapeutic action and retains blood drug concentration for long periods. Electrospun nanofibers, particularly those with complex nanostructures produced by multi-fluid electrospinning processes, are potential novel biphasic drug delivery systems (DDSs).

Areas covered

This review summarizes the most recent developments in electrospinning and related structures. In this review, the role of electrospun nanostructures in biphasic drug release was comprehensively explored. These electrospun nanostructures include monolithic nanofibers obtained through single-fluid blending electrospinning, core-shell and Janus nanostructures prepared via bifluid electrospinning, three-compartment nanostructures obtained via trifluid electrospinning, nanofibrous assemblies obtained through the layer-by-layer deposition of nanofibers, and the combined structure of electrospun nanofiber mats with casting films. The strategies and mechanisms through which complex structures facilitate biphasic release were analyzed.

Expert opinion

Electrospun structures can provide many strategies for the development of biphasic drug release DDSs. However, many issues such as the scale-up productions of complex nanostructures, the in vivo verification of the biphasic release effects, keeping pace with the developments of multi-fluid electrospinning, drawing support from the state-of-the-art pharmaceutical excipients, and the combination with traditional pharmaceutical methods need to be addressed for real applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Biphasic release
• drug delivery
• electrospinning
• mechanism
• nanostructures
• polymer

Article highlights

• Biphasic release, as an advanced drug-controlled release profile, has a long history and important position and has drawn increasing support from electrospinning and electrospun nanostructures.

• Electrospinning, as a polymer treatment technique, is developing rapidly from single-fluid electrospinning to bifluid coaxial and side-by-side electrospinning and to trifluid complex electrospinning processes for generating various fibrous nanostructures.

• The applications of electrospun products for providing biphasic release were classified and summarized. These electrospun products include monolithic nanofibers, core-shell, Janus, and three-compartment nanostructures, nanofibrous assemblies obtained through the layer-by-layer deposition of nanofibers, and the combined structure of electrospun nanofiber mats with casting films.

• The strategies and mechanisms through which complex structures facilitate biphasic release were analyzed.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants, or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.