Curcumin loaded electrospun Bombyx mori silk nanofibers for drug delivery

Silk fibroin from Bombyx mori silk cocoons was electrospun into silk nanofibers ( SNFs ). SEM images show that 9% w/v of SNFs was smooth and beadless having an average diameter in the range 30–150 nm. Curcumin (0.5–1.5 wt%) was incorporated into the silk fibroin solution and electrospun to obtain curcumin incorporated silk nanofibers ( CSNFs ) with diameters between 50 and 200 nm. The dispersion of curcumin in the SNFs was confirmed by TEM . The amorphous nature of curcumin upon incorporation into SNFs was confirmed by XRD . The functional groups of SNF and CSNF were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The SNFs and CSNFs were thermally stable up to ca 350 °C as evidenced by TGA . The glass transition temperature ( T g ) of SNFs (168 °C ) increased to 184 °C in the case of CSNFs as confirmed by DSC . The storage modulus, loss modulus and tan δ were determined by dynamic mechanical analysis. The percentages of porosity and water uptake of SNFs were 85% and 150%, respectively. The percentage in vitro cumulative release of curcumin at the end of the tenth day for 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt% formulations was 82%, 84% and 80%, respectively. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry