Melt electrospinning of daunorubicin hydrochloride-loaded poly (ε-caprolactone) fibrous membrane for tumor therapy

Daunorubicin hydrochloride is a cell-cycle non-specific antitumor drug with a high therapeutic effect. The present study outlines the fabrication of daunorubicin hydrochloride-loaded poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibrous membranes by melt electrospinning for potential application in localized tumor therapy. The diameters of the drug-loaded fibers prepared with varying concentrations of daunorubicin hydrochloride (1, 5, and 10 wt%) were 2.48 ± 1.25, 2.51 ± 0.78, and 2.49 ± 1.58 μm, respectively. Fluorescence images indicated that the hydrophobic drug was dispersed in the hydrophilic PCL fibers in their aggregated state. The drug release profiles of the drug-loaded PCL melt electrospun fibrous membranes were approximately linear, with slow release rates and long-term release periods, and no observed burst release. The MTT assay was used to examine the cytotoxic effect of the released daunorubicin hydrochloride on HeLa and glioma cells (U87) in vitro. The inhibition ratios of HeLa and glioma cells following treatment with membranes prepared with 1, 5, and 10 wt% daunorubicin hydrochloride were 62.69%, 76.12%, and 85.07% and 62.50%, 77.27%, and 84.66%, respectively. Therefore, PCL melt electrospun fibrous membranes loaded with daunorubicin hydrochloride may be used in the local administration of oncotherapy.