The preparation and characterization of electrospun nanowebs, which are suitable for transdermal applications, with a methacrylate copolymer shell and a thyme oil-PEG1000 core, and the study of their thyme oil release kinetics

Sarıer N. (Yürütücü), Sarıtop S., Karaman Ş.

Yükseköğretim Kurumları Destekli Proje, BAP Araştırma Projesi, 2026 - 2027

Proje Türü: Yükseköğretim Kurumları Destekli Proje
Destek Programı: BAP Araştırma Projesi
Başlama Tarihi: Mart 2026
Bitiş Tarihi: Mart 2027

Proje Özeti

Drug delivery systems (DDSs) aim to improve the safety and efficacy of drugs by controlling the rate, timing, and location of drug release in the body at the desired dosage for effective therapeutic drug administration. In recent years, transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDSs) have been investigated as a preferred drug delivery technique, and their market has been rapidly expanding. TDDSs use the skin to administer drugs and serve as an alternative to oral, intravascular, and transmucosal routes. An important requirement for transdermal delivery is that the drug, carried by a carrier, reaches the skin surface in sufficient proportion and quantity. Through various formulations, the rate and duration of drug release can be controlled. A number of kinetic models exist to explain the overall release of a drug from dosage forms. Since qualitative and quantitative variations in the formulation can alter drug release and in vivo performance, it is always desirable to use in vitro drug release data, which facilitates product development by reducing the need for biological studies.

Electrospinning is a simple, practical, and versatile technique that enables the production of polymer nanofibers and nanofibrous surfaces with nano- to microscale thickness and high surface-area-to-volume ratios from a wide range of polymers, polymer blends, or nanoparticle-incorporated polymers dissolved in aqueous or organic solvents. In recent years, its industrial applications have increasingly expanded to the fabrication of drug delivery systems, artificial skin for wound and burn treatment, and scaffolds for tissue engineering. Core–sheath nanofibers produced by coaxial electrospinning possess significant potential in drug delivery due to their ability to encapsulate sensitive therapeutic agents within the core, protect them from degradation, and provide controlled release through the sheath. Electrospun nanofibers can be fabricated from natural or synthetic polymer solutions. The proper selection of the polymer to be electrospun is crucial to achieving controlled fiber diameters, defect-free beadless morphology, and efficient fiber collection. When designed to be stimulus-responsive, these nanofibers can function as “smart” drug delivery platforms for advanced therapeutic applications.

Polymethacrylates, which are anionic, cationic, or neutral copolymers prepared via radical polymerization of acrylic and methacrylic acids or their esters, play a critical role in the pharmaceutical industry. Beyond their conventional use as film formers, tablet binders, and diluents, they are extensively employed in the formulation and optimization of various dosage forms for multifunctional applications such as modified, controlled, and sustained drug release. Studies have investigated both monolithic fibers obtained through uniaxial electrospinning and core–sheath structures produced from these polymers for drug delivery purposes. Furthermore, health concerns associated with the side effects of synthetic compounds widely used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry, together with the emergence of antibiotic resistance in pathogens, have directed electrospinning research toward the development of fibers encapsulating plant extracts. Among these, only a limited number of studies have employed coaxial electrospinning. Thyme essential oil exhibits antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and spasmolytic properties. The incorporation of essential oils into nanofiber production remains an important research area, particularly when approached through systematic experimental design and optimization

In this project, nanofibrous nanowebs will be fabricated via coaxial electrospinning using methacrylate copolymers, say Eudragit® RL100, RS100, S100, and their blends with distinct shell characteristics, combined with cores containing varying ratios of thyme essential oil (TO) and PEG1000, a phase-change material with a high enthalpy. The resulting nanostructures will be designed to respond to environmental pH and temperature changes, enabling the controlled and sustained release of TO into the external medium while exhibiting antioxidant and antimicrobial properties suitable for transdermal bioactive delivery and therapeutic applications. All developed nanofibers will be systematically characterized in terms of their morphological, structural, thermal, and mechanical properties; encapsulation efficiency; swelling and weight loss behavior; and in vitro release profiles, including burst, sustained, and cumulative release. Statistical analyses of the data will be performed, and TO release kinetics will be modeled. Among the samples meeting the required criteria, additional evaluations will include water vapor permeability, bio adhesion, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Through this approach, the development of novel “smart” nanofibrous nanowebs suitable for transdermal therapy will be achieved.