OBJECTIVETo prepare the cross-linked chitosan/poly(acrylic acid)/poly (ethylene oxide) nanofibrous membrance loaded with pseudo-ginseng and to determine its characteristics.

METHODSPseudo-ginseng entrapped in chitosan, poly (acrylic acid), poly (ethylene oxide) nanofibrous membrane loaded with pseudo-ginseng was prepared by electrospinning and thermal treatment method. The surface morphology of fiber membrane was observed by scanning electron microscopy and the chemical structures were characterized by infrared spectroscopy; the thermal decomposition temperature was analyzed by the thermogravimetric analysis. UV-Vis spectra were used to evaluate the in vitro release properties.

RESULTSThe average diameter of the prepared nanofibrous particles was (181 ± 71) nm. The tensile strength of fiber membrane increased by 35.3% and the decomposition temperature increased from 197℃ to 208℃ after crosslinking. Compared with casting film, the structure of fiber membrane increased the release rate and the overall amount of active components from pseudo-ginseng.

CONCLUSIONThe preparation of chitosan fiber loaded with pseudo-ginseng is simple and the dispersion of pseudo-ginseng is homogeneous. This fibrous pseudo-ginseng exhibited good release performance, providing a new Chinese medicine formulation.