Fabrication of levofloxacin-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds using coaxial electrospinning

Abstract

Levofloxacin-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds from chitosan (CS) and poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared using coaxial electrospinning for the controlled release of antibiotics. Levofloxacin was encapsulated in the CS phase as a core and PCL was employed to control the release of levofloxacin as a shell. The levofloxacin-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds prepared at different PCL concentrations (8, 12, 16, and 20 wt%) were characterized by SEM and TEM to confirm their surface morphology and core-shell structure. The nanofibrous scaffold prepared at a higher PCL concentration exhibited higher mechanical properties. In addition, the CS–PCL nanofibrous scaffold exhibited more sustained release of levofloxacin than PCL nanofibrous scaffolds prepared using both single and coaxial nozzles. This levofloxacin-loaded nanofibrous scaffold can potentially be employed for the sustained release of antibiotics after surgical operations.