Preparation, characterization and release of amoxicillin from cellulose acetate and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) coaxial electrospun fibrous membranes

Electrospinning is a method that has been used to prepare polymeric fibers, with diameters ranging from nanometers to a micrometer of polymers such as cellulose acetate (CA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), and to develop membranes with applications in microencapsulation, for controlled release of drugs and for chemical and biological sensors. This work shows the feasibility and optimal conditions for the preparation of fibrous composite membranes of cellulose acetate and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), via electrospinning, and their morphology; FTIR, and mechanical characterization and the effect of pH on the release of amoxicillin were analyzed. Tubes of CA with diameters around 500 nm were obtained. It was found that the release behavior of the drug from these fibrous membranes was dependent on the pH of the medium. It was observed that the amount of amoxicillin released as a function of time for a pH equal to 7.2 was approximately three times higher than that observed for a pH equal to 3.0. This suggests a greater interaction of amoxicillin with components of the membrane at a pH equal to 3.0, most likely due to the formation of hydrogen bonds. These materials have potential application in gastrointestinal administration and for transdermal patches. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.