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. 2025 May 20;17(10):1411.
doi: 10.3390/polym17101411.

Flufenamic Acid-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibers Based on Chitosan/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Polymeric Composites for Drug Delivery in Biomedical Applications

Kuppu Sakthi Velu  1 , Mohammad Aslam  1 , Ramachandran Srinivasan  2 , Prathap Somu  3 , Sonaimuthu Mohandoss  1   4
Affiliations

Flufenamic Acid-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibers Based on Chitosan/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Polymeric Composites for Drug Delivery in Biomedical Applications

Kuppu Sakthi Velu et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Nanostructured drug-delivery systems with enhanced therapeutic potential have gained attention in biomedical applications. Here, flufenamic acid (FFA)-loaded chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) (CHS/PVA; CSPA)-based electrospun nanofibers were fabricated and characterized for antibacterial, anticancer, and antioxidant activities. The FFA-loaded CSPA (FCSPA) nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry to evaluate their formation process, functional group interactions, and crystallinity. Notably, the average diameter of FCSPA nanofibers decreased with increasing CSPA contents (CSPA-1 to CSPA-3), indicating that FFA addition to CSPA-3 significantly decreased its diameter. Additionally, XRD confirmed the dispersion of FFA within the CSPA amorphous matrix, enhancing drug stability. FCSPA nanofibers exhibited a high swelling ratio (significantly higher than that of the CSPA samples). Biodegradation studies revealed that FCSPA exhibited accelerated weight loss after 72 h, indicating its improved degradation compared with those of other formulations. Furthermore, it exhibited a significantly high drug-encapsulation efficiency, ensuring sustained release. FCSPA nanofibers exhibited excellent antibacterial activity, inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Regarding anticancer activity, FCSPA decreased HCT-116 cell viability, highlighting its controlled drug-delivery potential. Moreover, FCSPA demonstrated superior antioxidation, scavenging DPPH free radicals. These findings highlight FCSPA nanofibers as multifunctional platforms with wound-healing, drug-delivery, and tissue-engineering potential.

Keywords: antibacterial; anticancer; antioxidant; chitosan; drug-release; electrospinning; poly(vinyl alcohol).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Scheme 1
Scheme 1
(a) Chemical structures of CHS, PVA, and FFA. (b) Schematic of the prepared FCSPA nanofibers via electrospinning.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) micrographs of (a,b) CSPA-1, (c,d) CSPA-2, (e,f) CSPA-3, and (g,h) FCSPA nanofibers. (i–l) Distributions of the diameters of the CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of (a) CHS, (b) PVA, (c) CSPA-3 nanofibers, (d) FFA, and (e) FCSPA nanofibers.
Figure 3
Figure 3
X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of (a) CHS, (b) PVA, (c) CSPA-3 nanofibers, (d) FFA, and (e) FCSPA nanofibers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses of the (a) CHS, (b) PVA, (c) CSPA-3 nanofibers, (d) FFA, and (e) FCSPA nanofibers.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Swelling ratios of CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers at different incubation times. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the degrees of swelling of the FCSPA nanofibers (b) before and (c) after immersion in PBS for 24 h. (d) In vitro biodegradation of CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers at different incubation times. SEM images of in vitro degradation of the FCSPA nanofibers (e) before and (f) after 72 h of immersion in PBS (n = 3; p < 0.05).
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) Drug-encapsulation efficiencies (EE%) of the CSPA-1, CSPA-2, and CSPA-3 nanofibers. (b) Drug-release profiles of the FCSPA nanofibers in PBS (pH 7.4) at various intervals (n = 3; p < 0.05).
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) Antimicrobial activities of FFA, CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers against S. aureus and E. coli. Inhibition rates of FFA, CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers against (b) S. aureus and (c) E. coli. (d,e) Bacterial growth kinetics (OD600) over time for FCSPA nanofibers, free FFA, and a standard antibiotic (n = 3; p < 0.05).
Figure 8
Figure 8
(a) MTT assay for the HCT-116 cancer cells of control as well as the FFA, CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers after 24 and 48 h. (b) HCT-116 cancer cells treated with control as well as FFA, CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers using bright-field, fluorescence–DAPI, PI staining, and merged images after 48 h. Scale bar: ~100 μm. (n = 3; p < 0.05).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Radical scavenging activities of the free FFA, CSPA-1, CSPA-2, CSPA-3, and FCSPA nanofibers at different intervals (6, 12, 18, and 24 h) (n = 3; p < 0.05).
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