Development and characterization of cellulose acetate nanofibers for drugs controlled release

• Grant number: 09/11215-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2010
• Effective date (End): February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal researcher: Lucia Helena Innocentini Mei
• Grantee: Silvia Vaz Guerra Nista
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The electrospinning process is very attractive due to the low cost methodology and able to produce nanofibers in industrial scale from a great variety of materials, mainly biomaterials, in a simple and repetitive way. Actually the researches of this process have been explored due to its great versatility and its applications in the majority of the great areas of interest as: health, biotechnology and environment engineering, security and defense, generation and storage of energy. In Health area, the wounds treatment comes motivating world researchers because the great importance in treatment of skin injuries, burnings, diabetes wounds, after-surgical ulcers of skin, and others. The development of an efficient covering of wounds has a basic paper in the treatment of the skin injuries, in the prevention of infections, as well as in the improvement of the quality of life of the patients. Moreover, it can reduces expenses, especially of the government, with hospital and treatments. The incorporation of drugs in a membrane, and its use as coverings for wounds improves the efficiency of these materials. Recently, we can find drugs directly incorporated in electrospun nanofibers, with zero-order kinetic in the release of the drug. The development of bio nanofibers blankets, electrospun with drugs incorporation for treatment of wounds, is presented as an interesting and promising option of new auxiliary materials in health area, with low cost in relation to the currently options. (AU)