Investigation of Effects of Modified Montmorillonite‐Doped Electrospun Nanofibers on Drug Delivery Systems

ABSTRACT This study aims to develop a novel drug delivery system composed of nanofiber membranes fabricated by polycaprolactone (PCL)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) loaded with pristine montmorillonite (Mt), 3‐aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES)‐modified montmorillonite, and 3‐glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (GPTMS)‐modified montmorillonite for the targeted delivery of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). Comprehensive analyses were undertaken to evaluate both the chemical composition and structural characteristics of Mt. The results indicated effective interaction between two silane agents and pristine Mt, dispersing into the polymer matrix. Morphological analysis revealed the formation of bead‐free and random electrospun nanofibers. Among the fibrous membranes loaded with APTES‐modified Mt (AMt) and GPTMS‐modified Mt (GMt), AMt‐loaded nanofibers exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency at 96.7% and thermal stability. Furthermore, a slower drug release profile was observed in the initial 2 h from the AMt‐loaded nanofiber membrane. The release kinetics across all drug delivery systems adhered to Fickian diffusion, as indicated by the n values. The research revealed substantial zones of inhibition surrounding membranes incorporating drug‐clay composite nanofibers. In vitro cytotoxicity study displayed no toxic effect on the L929 cells of the electrospun PCL/PVP/TCH‐AMt membrane. Therefore, the electrospun PCL/PVP/TCH‐AMt membrane shows considerable potential as a versatile drug delivery system for various pharmaceutical applications.