No abstract

The skin is a complex layer system and the most important barrier between the environment and the organism. In this review, we describe some widespread skin problems, with a focus on eczema, which are affecting more and more people all over the world. Most of treatment methods for atopic dermatitis (AD) are focused on increasing skin moisture and protecting from bacterial infection and external irritation. Topical and transdermal treatments have specific requirements for drug delivery. Breathability, flexibility, good mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and efficacy are important for the patches used for skin. Up to today, electrospun fibers are mostly used for wound dressing.Their properties, however, meet the requirements for skin patches for the treatment of AD. Active agents can be incorporated into fibers by blending, coaxial or side-by-side electrospinning, and also by physical absorption postprocessing. Drug release from the electrospun membranes is affected by drug and polymer properties and the technique used to combine them into the patch. We describe in detail the in vitro release mechanisms, parameters affecting the drug transport, and their kinetics, including theoretical approaches. In addition, we present the current research on skin patch design. This review summarizes the current extensive know-how on electrospun fibers as skin drug delivery systems, while underlining the advantages in their prospective use as patches for atopic dermatitis.

No abstract

No abstract

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a widespread disorder, with researchers constantly looking for more efficacious treatments. Natural oils are reported to be an effective therapy for dry skin, and medical textiles can be used as an alternative or supporting therapy. In this study, fibrous membranes from poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) (PVB) with low and high molecular weights were manufactured to obtain nano- and micrometer fibers via electrospinning for the designed patches used as oil carriers for atopic skin treatment. The biocompatibility of PVB patches was analyzed using proliferation tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which combined with a focused ion beam (FIB) allowed for the 3D visualization of patches. The oil spreading tests with evening primrose, black cumin seed, and borage were verified with cryo-SEM, which showed the advantage nanofibers have over microfibers as carriers for low-viscosity oils. The skin tests expressed the usability and the enhanced oil delivery performance for electrospun patches. We demonstrate that through the material nano- and microstructure, commercially available polymers such as PVB have great potential to be deployed as a biomaterial in medical applications, such as topical treatments for chronic skin conditions.

No abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition, caused by wide genetic, environmental, or immunologic factors. AD is very common in children but can occur at any age. The lack of long-term treatments forces the development of new strategies for skin regeneration. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a well-developed, tissue-compatible biomaterial showing also good mechanical properties. In our study, we designed the electrospun PCL patches with controlled architecture and topography for long-term release in time. Hemp oil shows anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, increasing also the skin moisture without clogging the pores. It can be used as an alternative cure for patients that do not respond to traditional treatments. In the study, we tested the mechanical properties of PCL fibers, and the hemp oil spreading together with the release in time measured on skin model and human skin. The PCL membranes are suitable material as patches or bandages, characterized by good mechanical properties and high permeability. Importantly, PCL patches showed release of hemp oil up to 55% within 6 h, increasing also the skin moisture up to 25%. Our results confirmed that electrospun PCL patches are great material as oil carriers indicating a high potential to be used as skin patches for AD skin treatment.

Bone tissue engineering can be utilized to study the early events of osteoconduction. Fundamental research in cell adhesion to various geometries and proliferation has shown the potential of extending it to implantable devices for regenerative medicine. Following this concept in our studies, first, we developed well-controlled processing of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film to obtain a surface biomimicking ECM. We optimized the manufacturing dependent on humidity and temperature during spin-coating of a polymer solution. The mixture of solvents such as dimethylacetamide and acetone together with high humidity conditions led to a biomimetic, highly porous and rough surface, while with lower humidity and high temperatures drying allowed us to obtain a smooth and flat PVDF film. The roughness of the PVDF film was biofabricated and compared to smooth films in cell culture studies for adhesion and proliferation of osteoblasts. The bioinspired roughness of our films enhanced the osteoblast adhesion by over 44%, and there was collagen formation already after 7 days of cell culturing that was proved via scanning electron microscopy observation, light microscopy imaging after Sirius Red staining, and proliferation test such as MTS. Cell development, via extended filopodia, formed profoundly on the rough PVDF surface, demonstrated the potential of the structural design of biomimetic surfaces to enhance further bone tissue regeneration.