Curcumin-encapsulated Pluronic micelles in chitosan/PEO nanofibers: a controlled release strategy for wound healing applications

Chitosan-based nanofibers loaded with therapeutic agents are promising for wound treatment but loading hydrophobic compounds remains challenging. To address the limitations of curcumin incorporation in chitosan/polyethylene oxide (CS/PEO) nanofibers, we developed a novel Pluronic-based micelle to encapsulate curcumin, followed by the incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as an antibacterial agent to improve the performance of the wound dressings’ materials. We successfully fabricated CS/PEO scaffolds via electrospinning, incorporating curcumin-loaded micelles and synthesized ZnO-NPs. Comprehensive morphology characterization was performed using SEM, and the presence of ZnO-NPs and curcumin was verified by EDX and FT-IR spectroscopy. The developed nanofibers showed a slower release profile, with approximately 80 % of curcumin released into the aqueous medium within 24 h and appearing to progress to a steady state by five days. Notably, the nanofiber mats exhibited antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and supported fibroblast proliferation and attachment, indicating excellent biocompatibility. These findings suggest that the developed nanofiber scaffold, characterized by its controlled drug release, potent antibacterial properties, and biocompatibility, holds promise as an advanced wound dressing material.