Preparation and Properties of Electrospinning Carrier Loaded with Taraxasterol-Bovine Serum Albumin-Chitosan Protein Nanoparticles

Objective: This study aimed to develop and characterize novel electrospun thin-film drug carriers. The primary innovation involved incorporating synthesized taraxasterol–bovine serum albumin–chitosan protein nanoparticles (TBC NPs) as functional reinforcing agents within a biocompatible polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix, creating a composite system for sustained drug delivery.Methods: The TBC NPs were first synthesized using solvent-free method to form taraxasterol-BSA nanoparticles, which were then electrostatically self-assembled with chitosan. Particle size analysis, zeta potential measurement, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron micros- copy (SEM) were employed to assess the size, stability, encapsulation efficiency, internal structure, and surface morphology of the nanoparticles. The resulting nanoparticles were incorporated into polycaprolactone (PCL) using the electrospinning technique to fabricate electrospun membranes. The performance of these carriers was evaluated through SEM imaging, elemental mapping, contact angle measurement, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, drug release profiling, and biocompatibility testing. Results: The synthesized TBC NPs demonstrated a remarkably stable double-layer core-shell structure, a highly uniform particle size distribution, and exceptionally high drug encapsulation efficiency. The electrospinning process successfully and uniformly embedded these functional nanoparticles within the PCL nanofibers. This incorporation induced a significant transformation of the membrane’s properties, notably enhancing the hydrophilicity of the inherently hydrophobic PCL, as confirmed by reduced contact angles. The composite membrane enabled an effective dual sustained release profile of taraxasterol and exhibited favorable in vitro biocompatibility, indicating its potential for safe use inphysiological environments. Conclusion: This study successfully established a fabrication pipeline for a sophisticated drug delivery system. Taraxasterol-BSA-chitosan nanoparticles were then seamlessly incorporated as a functional component into PCL membranes via electrospinning. The final composite membrane overcomes the limitations of pure PCL by offering improved hydrophilicity, controlled dual-stage drugrelease, and excellent biocompatibility, presenting a promising platform for applications in wound healing and localized drug delivery.