Electrospun poly(lactic acid) nanofiber mats for controlled transdermal delivery of essential oil from Zingiber cassumunar Roxb

A controlled release system of Plai (Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.) oil based on electrospun poly(lactic) acid (PLA) nanofiber mat was successfully developed. The physicochemical properties of the nanofibers loaded with select amounts of oil (15%, 20%, and 30% wt) were characterized using various techniques, including a morphological study using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), structural determination using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD), as well as thermal properties study using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The loading content and the entrapment efficiency of Plai oil within the fiber mats were evaluated and were found to be remarkably high, ensuring that PLA was an appropriate material for Plai oil loading. The ability of the nanofiber mats to release (E)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl) butadiene (DMPBD) was also examined and the fiber mats showed controlled release characteristics. As the nanofiber mats have particularly high specific surface area with fully accessible and interconnected pore structures, a liquid medium with active ingredients will not be trapped in blind pores but can be fully released out of the fiber matrix. Furthermore, in vitro skin permeation of the active compound as well as a skin irritation were assessed using reconstructed human epidermis (EpiSkin (TM)). It was found that DMPBD could efficiently penetrate through the skin model. Moreover, the nanofiber mats containing Plai oil also showed no skin irritation, indicating them as promising prototypes for medical applications.