Drug-Loaded Poly-Vinyl Alcohol Electrospun Nanofibers for Transdermal Drug Delivery: Review on Factors Affecting the Drug Release

Abstract

Transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) was designed to be applied onto the skin surface and deliver the active drug across the skin into the systemic circulation. Thus, this mini-review is focusing on the factors affecting the drug release through the Poly-vinyl Alcohol (PVA) electrospun nanofiber mats into skin epidermis. Several types of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with different molecular weight were reviewed. Electrospinning method was used to fabricate the PVA electrospun nanofiber mats that act as carriers of drugs for TDDS due to its excellent ability to produce ultrafine fibers with average diameters in the sub-micrometer to nanometer range, while Franz-Diffusion Cell was used for drugs release assessment. The molecular weight and the concentration of the drugs, as well as the surface area of the PVA electrospun nanofibers, played an important role in the drug release rate. Overall, mini review on factors that affecting the rate of the drugs release through electrospun PVA nanofibers shows good correlations between drugs and PVA electrospun nanofibers and have a great potential promising deliverable drugs that one day could be one of the best transdermal drug delivery system.