Isolation and Characterization of Bionanofibers from Moringa Oleifera Gum as a Platform for Drug Delivery

Abstract

Bionanofibers were isolated from Moringa Oleifera gum by carrying out combination of acid hydrolysis and probe sonication treatment. Acid hydrolysis of hemicelluloses was carried out to remove amorphous region. An increase in sulphuric acid concentration from 20 to 60 wt% accelerates the breakages in hemicelluloses molecules, leading to narrower, less polydisperse bionanofibers. After sonication, the fibers were cleaved into small fibers with dimensions on the nanoscale. The characterization of bionanofibers was performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Particle size, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Surface morphology was observed by SEM which confirms presence of bionanofibers. Bionanofibers having diameter at 98 nm while length of 20 µm. The thermal analysis of Moringa oleifera gum was done by DSC. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that some breakages of intramolecular hydrogen bonds and glycosidic bonds held during hydrolysis reaction of Moringa Oleifera. The isolated nanofibers can be used in novel drug delivery system as platform to load the desired drug.